Method and apparatus for maintenance of bird baths and other liquid containers

ABSTRACT

An animal water bowl assembly is maintained clean by allowing a bowl to dry out after a use period, before refilling. Uses include: birdbath and pet and farm animal watering. Two bowls can be coordinated so that one is in use with water while one is drying out. A two-faced assembly with oppositely facing bowls can automatically coordinate the steps for the two bowls. The process of filling a bowl, allowing it to be used, emptying it, filling another, allowing it to be used while the first dries out, can be automated with an actuator and a controller. An animal water bowl assembly has at least two bowls, with means for coordinating the filling and use and drying steps. As an example, a two faced bowl is rotatable around an axis. An electronic controller opens a valve to provide power to a hydraulic actuator, which flips the two faced bowl to empty the first and present the second for filling. Filling with water occurs automatically, also using water from the hydraulic source. Many versions only require a user to set a duration on a controller, during which time hydraulic power is provided, which duration is sufficient to flip and fill the two bowls of an assembly. Flipping and filling occur automatically at the right times. A user interface has a single valve, and a single cycle. The user sets a period for activation, and the duration that power is provided. More than two bowls can be used. Electromechanical, rather than hydraulic power can be used to actuate the assembly.

[0001] The inventions disclosed herein will be understood with regard tothe following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings,where:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0002]FIG. 1 shows schematically in flow chart form a method formaintaining a birdbath bowl relatively free of contaminants;

[0003]FIG. 2 shows schematically in flow chart form a method formaintaining at least two birdbath bowls relatively free of contaminants,with one of the bowls always being available for use by birds;

[0004]FIG. 3A shows, schematically, a birdbath bowl, deployed for use;

[0005]FIG. 3B shows, schematically, a detachable birdbath bowl, as shownin FIG. 3A, positioned to dry out, and not available for use;

[0006]FIG. 4A shows a two-bowl birdbath pedestal, each bowl having aremovable plug to allow water to drain out, with one bowl shown full,and the other shown draining;

[0007]FIG. 4B shows a two-bowl ground supported birdbath pair, each bowlhaving a removable plug to allow water to drain out, with one bowl shownfull, and the other shown draining;

[0008]FIG. 5A shows, schematically, a two-bowl birdbath pedestal, inwhich each bowl is mounted to the pedestal by a hinge, that can bereleased to allow the bowl to empty out, and hang to dry;

[0009]FIG. 5B shows, schematically a bowl cantilevered from a pedestal;

[0010]FIG. 6 shows schematically a sequence of states of a two-facedbowl, that is initially full, then is lifted, tipped, emptied of water,flipped to provide the other bowl facing upward, and then ready forfilling of the now upward facing bowl;

[0011] FIGS. 7A-7C show schematically, a three-bowl birdbath apparatus,from a side view, showing (FIG. 7A) a full bowl (FIG. 7B) emptying androtating and (FIG. 7C) the next bowl being filled;

[0012] FIGS. 8A-8C show schematically a side view of a three-bowlapparatus with a catch mechanism, where the FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8Ccorresponding in time to the state of the bowls shown in FIGS. 7A, 7Band 7C, respectively;

[0013]FIG. 9A shows schematically, a two-faced bowl, such as shown inFIG. 6, mounted in a pedestal having a yoke through which the bowl canpass to flip;

[0014]FIG. 9B shows schematically a split two-faced bowl, having fourmodules, split to allow flipping of the split bowl past a pedestal;

[0015]FIG. 10A shows schematically a set up allowing manually flipping atwo-faced bowl;

[0016]FIG. 10B shows schematically a set up allowing manually flipping awater source from a first bowl to a second bowl, to simplify emptyingand filling two bowls;

[0017] FIGS. 11A-11G show schematically a two-faced bowl, arrangedinitially with one side * concave facing upward (FIG. 11A); then tippedup around one end of a diameter (FIG. 11B); stood with the diametervertical (FIG. 11C); spun around the diameter (FIG. 11D); and tippeddownward (FIGS. 11E and 11F) to present the opposite side ** concavefacing upward (FIG. 11G);

[0018]FIG. 12 is a schematic representation showing an apparatus thatsupports and flips a two-faced bowl at the end of a long arm;

[0019]FIG. 13 shows, schematically, in a perspective view a fullyautomated apparatus that lifts and flips a two-faced bowl and returns itto be ready for use, with a cam bearing assembly, located on the sameend of an axle as a piston;

[0020] FIGS. 14A-14G show schematically a fully automated apparatussimilar to that shown in FIG. 13 that lifts and flips a two-faced bowl180°, and returns the opposite surface ready for use, with a camassembly being located on the opposite end of the axle from a pistonassembly;

[0021] FIGS. 15A-15E show schematically the apparatus shown in FIGS.14A-14G, from the opposite (cam assembly end) side elevation, withcorresponding FIGS. 14A, 15A, etc. showing identical stages of thesequence, with 15E corresponding to 14E, 14F and 14G;

[0022]FIG. 15F shows schematically, an apparatus similar to that shownin FIGS. 15A-15E, except that the cam assembly is a sliding camassembly, with a unitary oblong follower rather than two separatefollowers, in an orientation corresponding to that shown in FIG. 15C;

[0023]FIG. 16 shows, in flow chart form, steps that are taken in amethod of setting an automated apparatus, setting flip and filltogether;

[0024]FIG. 17 shows schematically, a user interface that can be used toset an automated apparatus using the method shown in FIG. 16;

[0025] FIGS. 18A-18E show schematically, in cross-sectional view, arotary actuator that can use water pressure to flip a two-faced bowl,having a rotary vane, with FIG. 18A showing an initial stage with nowater pressure, and the axle in a first position, FIG. 18E showing thevane returning to the initial position, with no water pressure and theaxle rotated through 180°, and FIGS. 18B, C and D showing intermediatestages;

[0026]FIG. 19 is a schematic perspective rendition of an embodiment ofan automatically flipping and filling bowl assembly, that is relativelylow to the ground;

[0027]FIGS. 20A, B and D are partial schematic cross-sectionalrenderings of an embodiment of a low profile apparatus such as shown inFIG. 19 with a fluid supply that actuates bowl tilting and flipping inseries;

[0028]FIG. 20C is a partly cross-sectional and partly perspectiverendition of the embodiment shown in FIG. 19B, to show a bowl assemblyrotating;

[0029]FIG. 21 is a partial schematic cross-sectional rendering of avariation of a low profile apparatus similar to the apparatus shown inFIG. 19 with a fluid supply that actuates bowl tilting and flipping inparallel;

[0030]FIG. 22 is a schematic cross-sectional representation of apedestal mounted bowl assembly that simultaneously tips upward androtates around a diameter;

[0031]FIG. 22A is an enlargement of a portion of the transmission ofFIG. 22;

[0032] FIGS. 23A-23D are schematic cross-sectional representations of apiston and cylinder drive mechanism, suitable to drive the tipping androtating apparatus shown in FIG. 22; and

[0033]FIGS. 24A and 24B are schematic cross-sectional representations ofa two position control valve, suitable for use with the cylinder driveshown in FIGS. 23A-23D.

DETAILED DISCUSSION

[0034] Birdbaths are common items that are known and used in manydesigns. They provide a supply of water that is important to birds, bothto drink and to bathe. Birds continually visit birdbaths. Observingthese visits brings satisfaction to many people.

[0035] Birdbaths are available in a variety of functional and ornamentalstyles, from simple, naturalistic stone or wood to colorful elaboratesculptures. The typical birdbath includes at least one bowl for holdinga quantity of water, arranged so that birds can bathe in the bowl andalso drink from the bowl, a pedestal to support the bowl above groundlevel and a means to support and stabilize the pedestal where it makescontact with the ground. A birdbath bowl can be a vessel of any shape orconfiguration that has a concave area that retains water. It istypically helpful that the shape be not so deep as to provide a dangerof drowning, although, this is not always the case. Many baths do notinclude a pedestal, but rather, rest on the ground. Most of nature'sbird-bathing facilities are at ground level.

[0036] For a birdbath to provide an adequate supply of fresh and cleanwater, the bowl that holds the water must be kept relatively clean, andthe bowl must be filled with a new supply of water regularly.

[0037] Keeping a birdbath bowl clean is difficult and complex. Birdsregularly visit muddy and other unclean locations and then bathe inbirdbaths, bringing contaminants to even the tidiest bowl. For instance,robins take a bath in dust to eliminate insects, and then visit thebirdbath. In all birdbaths, contaminants including bacteria, algae,viruses, feathers, excrement, leaves, twigs, insects, pollen, dust andother foreign and potentially harmful substances enter the water afteronly a few days. Contaminated water in a birdbath can spread disease andharm birds in other ways. Therefore, birdbaths should be cleaned oftento ensure that their bowls and water are free of contaminants.

[0038] The contaminants often form a tenacious film, or layer ofmaterial adhered to the birdbath surface, especially if the surface isleft unclean and wet for even short periods of time. This problem may beexacerbated with bowls that are textured or porous. Contaminants andstagnant water also may provide a breeding ground for harmful or pestinsects such as mosquitoes, which are of particular concern duringoutbreaks of diseases, such as the West Nile virus.

[0039] Cleaning involves successful removal of foreign contaminants thathave entered the birdbath bowl. Then, the birdbath is refreshed(refilled) with a new supply of water. Doing both functions in sequenceensures an abundance of clean, safe water for the birds.

[0040] Current methods of cleaning involve manual scrubbing and/orspraying or using chemicals to control and remove contaminants. Manybird watchers would prefer not to introduce chemicals to water intendedfor birds since they may cause unforeseen harm to birds. Moreover, notmany birdbath chemicals exist and those available are expensive.

[0041] Most people do not provide the maintenance necessary to removecontaminants and to ensure a plentiful supply of fresh water. A birdbaththat has a design that minimizes the need for user upkeep, would bebeneficial, whether it is semi-automated to reduce user involvement, orfully-automated to completely eliminate user upkeep.

[0042] The primary focus of this disclosure is birdbaths. However, thereare other types of liquid containers that present similar maintenanceissues. For instance, it is fairly common for dog and cat owners toleave a filled water bowl outside, typically on the ground, or on a lowsupport, for the pet to access when outside. This might be usedroutinely, or while the owner is away from home, at work, etc. Suchbowls are subject to most of the water fouling agencies that also foulbirdbaths. Only the bird bathing problems are absent, but, in fact,birds may even bathe in such pet supply bowls, in which case, all of theproblems are present. The inventions described herein with respect tobirdbaths can also be used in connection with pet water supply bowls.

[0043] In addition to domestic pets, other animals are supplied withwater by bowls that remain generally in place for days, and mustperiodically be cleaned and replenished. Such other contexts include zooanimals, animals housed in kennels, and many farm animals. In general,larger animals require larger containers, sometimes shaped more like adeep trough, than a bowl. The inventions described herein can also beused with such zoo, farm, and kennel type water containers.

[0044] Furthermore, there are other liquid containers that retain liquidfor some time, typically outdoors, but also indoors. These include:decorative fountains and water features for gardens and landscapedesigns, certain vessels used in laboratories and manufacturingprocesses, etc.

[0045] Known designs for birdbaths have included many types of so calledself-cleaning baths.

[0046] Frequent Drying out Maintains Cleanliness of Water Bowls

[0047] It has been determined, as an aspect of an invention disclosedherein, that it is advantageous to provide a period of time during whichthe bowl that contains the water is able to dry, preferably, completelyso that no liquid remains. Drying out the bowl prevents algae and othercontamination from getting started. If complete drying is not possible,it is beneficial to achieve partial drying to a degree that algae andother persistent growths are reduced. If the bowl surface is not allowedto dry before being refilled, the fresh source of water in the bowlprovides an environment and possibly nutrients needed by the algae andother contaminants for their continued persistence, growth and spreadingon the bowl's surface. Not only does such adhered material present aproblem in its own right, but it also provides a mechanical substrate,or foundation, upon which additional material can take hold, thus,further increasing the problem of adhered contaminants.

[0048] The water in the bowl can be removed from the bowl through anyeffective manual, semi-automated or automated dumping movement of thebowl or draining action upon the bowl. Evaporation of a full bowl fromnatural causes is not a part of the inventions—it is typically not fastenough to be effective for emptying the bowl. (Evaporation of theresidue of adhered water after a mechanical dump or drain is part of theinventions disclosed herein.)

[0049] Various aspects of methods and apparatus suitable for periodicfilling and drying are discussed herein, as aspects of inventionsdisclosed herein.

[0050] In a rudimentary form, an invention disclosed herein is a methodfor maintaining a birdbath essentially free of adhering contaminants. Itincludes the steps of filling the bowl, allowing it to be used, andthen, emptying out the bowl completely and allowing it to partially orcompletely dry. This empty time allows the bowl to completely, or atleast, partially dry, thereby interrupting the process that allows algaeand other contaminants to develop and adhere. After this drying period,the bowl is filled again and redeployed for use.

[0051]FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of this method, showing the bowlstates and beginning with the step of providing 2 a full bowl. The bowlthen cycles through the following set of steps and states. The full bowlis allowed to be used 4 by the birds, eventually leading 6 to a dirtybowl containing some water. By dirty, it is meant not pristine.Contaminants may reside in the water, free of the bowl surface, or, maybe starting to adhere to the surface. The next step is to empty out 8the bowl leaving 10 an empty bowl with a wet surface. The empty bowl isallowed 12 time for the surface to dry. The now 14 empty andsufficiently dry bowl is then filled 16 with water resulting 18 in afull bowl. Then, to complete the cycle, the bowl is allowed to be used 4again by the birds.

[0052] It is preferable for the step of allowing 4 the bowl to remainfull not to last long enough for contaminants become strongly adhered tothe bowl.

[0053] With this rudimentary method, while a single bowl is drying out,the birds have nothing in which to bathe, or from which to drink.Starting 2 with the bowl in the full stage 18 is arbitrary. The dryingstate 14 or any of the other states could equally be considered thestarting state for the process.

[0054] Using Two Bowls Ensures that One is Available for Use

[0055] Thus, it may be advantageous to provide at least two bowls, sothat while one is drying out, the other is full and deployed, and viseversa. Thus, the birds are never deprived of water during the period oftime any one bowl is drying. FIG. 2 shows this second methodschematically, showing two birdbath bowls, a first bowl* (star) beingprovided 2 with a full bowl of water and another bowl** (double star)being provided 103 empty. Each birdbath bowl (star and double star)cycles through the same states as in the rudimentary method describedabove and shown schematically in FIG. 1, but the state of the secondbowl** is offset from the state of the first bowl* at any given point inthe cycle. (The states and steps applied to the second bowl** areindicated by reference numerals that are offset by 100 from thereference numerals that identify the steps and states for the firstbowl*.)

[0056] The first bowl* is full and is allowed to be used 4 by the birdswhile the other bowl** is empty and allowed 112 to dry out. After thefirst bowl* has become 6 dirty and still contains some water, the otherbowl** is empty and has become 114 dry. The first bowl* is emptied out 8while the other, empty bowl** is filled 116. The first bowl* is thenempty and wet 10 as the other bowl** becomes 118 full. The first, emptybowl* is allowed 12 to dry out, while the other bowl** is full 102 andallowed 104 to be used by the birds. The first, empty bowl* becomes 14sufficiently dry during the period the other bowl** and its waterbecomes 106 dirty. Next, the first empty bowl* is filled 16 as the otherbowl** is emptied out 108. Finally, the first bowl* is full 18 while theother bowl**, though still wet, becomes empty 110 before the bowls cycleback to the states of the first bowl* full and allowed 4 to be used bythe birds while the other bowl** is empty and allowed to dry out 112.(The designation first and second, or other are entirely arbitrary,being used for discussion purposes only, and the process is totallysymmetric relative to the two bowls. They are equivalent.)

[0057] The changes from one stage or step to the next need not occurprecisely simultaneously for the two bowls. All that is required is thatat substantially all times, one bowl is available for bird use, and thateach bowl remains empty for a time that is long enough for the surfaceto dry. Thus, there may be a time period during which both bowls arefull, but there should not be a significant time where both are empty.

[0058] The second method can readily be generalized to three or anylarger plurality of bowls, by the person of ordinary skill in the art,and these combinations are also considered to be aspects of inventionsdisclosed herein.

[0059] Some experiments have been done in Massachusetts, USA at aninland environment. These have shown that moderately frequent cycling,for instance, even as infrequently as emptying, drying, filling, onceper day, prevent any significant growth, and results in significantlyless growth and adherence of contaminants, as compared to a control bowlkept constantly full.

[0060] It is also possible to add a heating element embedded within thebowl, such as are used in baths designed to be used during the winter infreezing climates, to accelerate drying of the surface.

[0061] Bowl Configuration Variations

[0062] The methods described above can physically deploy and cycle thebirdbath bowls in many and various mechanical and geometricalcombinations, some of which, by way of example only and not to beconsidered limiting, are discussed below.

[0063]FIG. 3A shows a simple single birdbath bowl set-up that uses arudimentary one-bowl method. A pedestal 26 and ground support 20 isshown with a bowl 22 that is readily detachable and re-attachable to thepedestal 26. The user detaches and empties the bowl 22 and hangs thebowl, as shown in FIG. 3B, from the pedestal 26 using a hook 24 that canattach to a location on the pedestal 26 to allow drying. The bowl couldalternatively be placed anywhere during this drying period. The userthen re-attaches the bowl 22 to the pedestal 26 and refills the bowlwith water. Alternatively, after emptying, the bowl could be returned toits concave facing upward position to dry, however, the user may findthat in some circumstances, the lack of constantly available water willprevent birds from becoming used to the bath as a reliable water source.Choice among the alternatives could depend on how sunny and humid theweather is, which would have opposite effects on drying time. Choicemight also depend on the user's aesthetic preference or yardarrangement.

[0064]FIG. 4A shows a pedestal structure 30 used for maintaining twoindependent birdbath bowls 32*, 32** up off the ground. The bowls 32*and 32** are always maintained in an upright configuration in thisgeometry. A hole 34*, 34** and a plug 36*, 36** is provided in each bowlto allow the user to empty each bowl in turn to dry while the other bowlis full and in use. However, rather than using the hole and plug methodfor draining the bowls, each could be flipped and hung or replaced, asshown in FIG. 3B.

[0065]FIG. 4B shows two independent birdbath bowls 42*, 42** on or nearto the ground, essentially as ground supported low profile baths. Thebowls 42* and 42** are always maintained in an upright configuration inthis geometry. A hole 44*, 44** and a plug 46*, 46** is provided in eachbowl to allow the user to empty each bowl in turn to dry while the otherbowl is full and in use. However, rather than using the hole and plugmethod for draining the bowls, each could be flipped and tilted to dryor replaced, as shown in FIG. 3A.

[0066]FIG. 5A shows a pedestal 46 and two independent birdbath bowls 72*and 72**. Each bowl is attached by a hinge 78*, 78** to the pedestal.One hinge is unlocked (78**, as shown) and its bowl 72**lowered, whilethe other hinge 78* is locked with its bowl 72* in the upright, concaveupward facing, in-use position.

[0067]FIG. 5B shows a pedestal 126 from which a two-faced bowl 122 iscantilevered. It has two back-to-back bowls 122* and 122**. The bowl 122can rotate around the axis A. The bowl can be flipped manually,automatically or semi-automatically.

[0068] Rather than a simple pedestal, as shown, a hanger support can beprovided from which the bowl is suspended. Of course, ultimately, such ahanger needs to be supported by the ground, such as by a rooted tree, orportion of a building (for instance a house, or other structure. Thus,even hanging supports are versions of spatially extended pedestals).

[0069]FIG. 6 shows an integrated back-to-back double-bowl design. Thetwo birdbath bowls 53 and 54 are integrated into a unitary structure 52,with one bowl on each side of the structure, facing away from eachother. The structure is simply lifted and flipped over, placed back onits pedestal 26 and the new concave upward-facing bowl 54 filled withwater while the new concave downward facing bowl 53 is allowed to dry.Drying may be facilitated by providing openings 57 in the pedestalsupport 26 for air flow. This simple design reliably and effectivelyaccomplishes all the state transitions described in the two-bowl methodabove (FIG. 2). Any suitable mechanical fittings can be used tofacilitate a removable unitary bowl, with reliable replacing. Matingnotches and tabs can be provided, or a central socket in the bowlportion, into which the end of the pedestal fits. The socket can beblind-ended, or open the whole way through from one concave face to theother.

[0070]FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C show schematically, in a cross-section, athree-way bowl apparatus, in which each of the three bowls 722*, 722**,722*** is offset from each other in a one-hundred-twenty degreetriangular orientation. This geometry provides increased drying time forthe two bowls 722**, 722*** that are not in use. This and similargeometries can readily be extended to any number of bowls. The bowlsface away from an axis, around which they rotate. This geometry alsofacilitates a relatively simple mechanism for bringing the next bowl722** to upright.

[0071] The assembly is mounted on an axle 760, allowing rotation in thedirection shown with the arrow R. The bowls are shaped and placed suchthat each respective center of gravity 721, even with the top bowl onlypartially filled, is laterally offset from being directly above the axle760, about which the bowls rotate. As shown, each bowl 722*, etc., isdeeper at the end that will fall when the assembly of bowls rotates.This will cause the assembly 722 of bowls to rotate, when a catch isreleased.

[0072]FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8C show a generic catch. (FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8C areshown from the opposite end of the axle 760 as are FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C,respectively.) A spring loaded pin 762 fits within a slot 761* of aplate 763, to prevent rotation of the bowl assembly 722. The pin 762 iswithdrawn by a mechanism that is not shown, when it is time for thebowls to advance. When the pin 762 is withdrawn, the entire three bowlassembly 722 rotates in the direction of the arrow R, with enoughmomentum to bring the next bowl 722** into the upright position. The pinis urged to return to its stopping position, by action of the spring,into the slot 761** that corresponds to the next bowl, 722**, and stopsthe three-bowl assembly from continuing in its rotation in the directionR. Then, the currently upright bowl 722** is filled through a conduit789 and made available for use, and the others 722* and 722*** are inposition to dry out.

[0073] The three bowl assembly is symmetrical around the axle 760, sothat when the next bowl 722** is upright and filled, the center ofgravity 721 of the assembly 722 remains positioned as shown in FIG. 7A,and thus, when the pin is withdrawn again, after a predetermined time,the entire bowl assembly again rotates in the direction of the arrow R.

[0074] Rather than a spring loaded latch, the catch can be any suitablemechanism, including a cam and cam follower mechanism, which may itselfbe spring loaded.

[0075] The three bowls can be supported cantilevered from a pedestal,for instance as shown in FIG. 5B, with the axle 760 coinciding with axisA of FIG. 5B. Or, it could be supported by a pedestal having a yoke, asshown in FIG. 9A, or by any other suitable support.

[0076] Rather than three bowls, any plurality of bowls can be used,including two, four or five, which are expected to be the most common.In either case, the bowls are shaped so that they can be arranged with acombined center of gravity that is offset laterally from the axle aroundwhich they rotate. For instance, if more than three bowls are to beused, the plan shown in FIG. 7A is simply expanded such that the four orfive, or more bowls of roughly the same shape as shown in FIG. 7A aredistributed around the perimeter evenly. If two bowls are used, theyeach have a deeper section and a shallower section, or their masses aredistributed such that they are heavier toward one edge, and they areplaced back to back. The same result will occur, as occurs with threebowls, as discussed above.

[0077] Pedestal Orientations

[0078] Pedestal orientations can likewise be in one of many forms andvariations. FIG. 5B shows a single offset pedestal 126. The pedestal 126is completely to one side of the bowls 122* and 122**. FIG. 6 shows asingle center pedestal 26.

[0079]FIG. 9A shows, schematically, a yoke pedestal 66 in which thepedestal is split into two branches 67 and 69 and attaches to the bowlstructure 62 on opposite ends of its outer diameter. An axle 65 supportsthe bowl, allowing the bowl to rotate around the axle. Either bowl face64 or 63 can be arranged concave facing upward. A crank 61 is providedto facilitate manually flipping the bowl 62.

[0080]FIG. 9B shows a single center pedestal 76 with the bowl structure72 split through the center of one of its axes at the point ofattachment to the pedestal 76. The bowl halves 72′ and 72″ each haveback-to-back facing bowls, with corresponding bowls 74′ and 74″, whichare both shown concave facing upward, and 73′ and 73″, which are bothshown concave facing downward. They are arranged on an axle 75,analogous to the mounting of the bowl 62 in FIG. 9A. A handle can alsobe provided, but is not shown. The two halves 72′ and 72″ can be mountedso that they rotate together, thus providing two semi-circular bowlsthat are full at the same time, and drying at the same time. However,they could be decoupled, so that each bowl is filled and emptied at adifferent time, thus providing a four bowl series, with overlapping butstaggered periods of being in use and drying.

[0081] Basically, FIG. 9A shows an embodiment where the pedestal isdesigned to make way for the bowl to pass through it and FIG. 9B showsan embodiment having a bowl that is designed to make way for thepedestal to pass through it.

[0082] Bowl Shaft that Swings Around End

[0083] The foregoing has described two-faced bowls that are coupled to ashaft such that they switch position when the shaft rotates around itsaxis of elongation. As shown schematically with reference to FIG. 12, itis also possible to couple a pair of bowls 520 to a shaft 563 thatrotates about an axis A through one of its ends 527, which axis A isperpendicular to the shaft's axis E of elongation. The return can eitherbe in reverse of the initial swing, or a continuation in the samedirection for an additional 180 degrees. This configuration wouldtypically require much more power than an embodiment where the shaftrotates around its long axis, due to the longer lever arm through whichthe mass of the bowls and contained water is carried.

[0084] Bowl Emptying and Advancing Actions

[0085] Typically, a bowl is emptied, and another bowl is advanced intoposition for use. A very advantageous method to do this is to have acompound bowl assembly, that flips from one bowl to the next. Bowlflipping action, if present, can be manual (non-automated),semi-automated or fully-automated. Typically, there must be some way toprovide for clearance between the bowl, and its support. Either can besplit, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B. Or, they can be translated, relativeto each other.

[0086]FIG. 6 shows a lift and flip action. These actions can be eithermanual, or automated, semi, or fully-automated.

[0087] FIGS. 11A-11G show an embodiment where the bowls tilt up, spinand tilt down to return. A bowl 1122 has two sides, * and ** (star anddouble star). A support 1126 tips the bowl 1122 up around an axis T,until a diameter D is nearly vertical, or vertical (FIG. 11C). Thetipping action tips the diameter of the bowl up, essentially around anaxis T that passes through one of its ends. The bowl is then spun (FIG.11D) around the diameter D, which is at the time, vertical so that theoriginally concave upward side * is now facing back toward the support1126. The bowl 1122 is then tilted back downward (FIGS. 11E and 11F) ina reversal of the tilting up action, such that the originally concavefacing downward side ** is now facing upward. Surface ** is dry andready to be filled for use.

[0088] To return the originally concave facing upward side * to concavefacing upward, the motions are reversed, with the bowl 1122 spinning inthe opposite direction from that it was originally spun. Alternatively,the mechanism can always spin in the same direction. Such a mechanismcan be relatively straightforward (developed along well-knownprinciples), but would likely includes many parts. One such embodimentis discussed in more detail below, in connection with FIGS. 19 and20A-20D. Advantages of this embodiment are that the bowl does notrequire a yoke pedestal, or a split bowl. It can be used for a bath orbowl that is essentially supported on the ground and has a relativelylow profile.

[0089] The actions are described above as serial. First the bowl tipsup, about one end, then it spins around a diameter. It is also possiblethat these two actions occur simultaneously. The bowl rotates around adiameter while it tips up (as discussed in connection with FIG. 22below). It is also possible for the bowl to continue to rotate as ittips down. Such an embodiment is discussed below, in connection withFIG. 12.

[0090] Filling Actions

[0091] Before a dried-out bowl can be used again, it must be filled.Filling action can also be manual, semi-automated or fully-automated.FIG. 10A shows a semi-automated filling action. A hose attachment 270,with a simple faucet or nozzle fixture 272, is located convenientlyabove the deployed, in-use bowl. The two-faced bowl 222 may be flippedaround its horizontal axis, as indicated by the arrow F, to alternatebetween a first bowl 253 and a second bowl 254. Water is supplied from asupply hose 276. (The embodiment shown is generic, and the geometry thatallows flipping is not shown. Some accommodation like a yoke, or a splitbowl, as shown in FIG. 9A or 9B respectively, must be provided).

[0092] Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 10B, two independent bowls 222*(left hand side) and 222** (right hand side) can be used. The bowls candrained or emptied by flipping them. The faucet nozzle 272 can swing ona hinge from one bowl 222* to the other 222**, as shown by phantomlines.

[0093] After the bowl flipping (FIG. 10A) or nozzle swinging (FIG. 10B)action has been completed, the operator simply turns on the faucet 274to fill the appropriate bowl. In effect, a hose 276 is connected to thebirdbath and turns it into a faucet extension.

[0094]FIG. 5A shows a semi-automated embodiment that takes advantage ofthe pedestal 46 as a support and hiding place for water supply plumbing.A fitting 71 connects to a water source (not shown). Water is providedto the fitting, either manually or through a timer device, 71, fromwhich it passes up through a conduit 77 (shown in phantom) within thepedestal housing, and out through a nozzle 79* at the top of thepedestal and then into the waiting bowl 72*. There is also a nozzle 79**provided for the other bowl 72** when it is in place. When the bowl 72**is not deployed, the spouting water arcs harmlessly over it.Alternatively, a valve can be coupled with each nozzle 79* and 79** thatblocks the supply water from reaching the drying bowl.

[0095]FIG. 9A shows a similar arrangement where water is suppliedthrough a hose 81, up through a conduit 83 (shown in phantom) within thepedestal base and arm 67, and out through a nozzle 89. A controller 85,such as a conventional garden timer, can be used to providesemi-automated filling. If a mechanism is provided to flip the bowlautomatically, then the entire process is automated.

[0096] Automation

[0097] The foregoing described emptying, flipping (advancing) andfilling actions are all advantageous in adding to the process ofpreventing and removing adhered contaminants, thereby keeping birdbathbowls clean. They are relatively reliable, inexpensive, can beaesthetically pleasing, simple and easy to operate. However, unlessautomated, they all depend on user interaction. Further, the operatormust be physically present. None of these possible actions will providethe desired sanitary advantages if the operator forgets, is absent,infirm, or otherwise unable to physically empty the bowl(s). Flipping isa specific action, that both empties a full bowl, and advances an emptybowl to a position for use. That may be as the result of turning over atwo-face bowl, or rotating through a section of a bowl having three ormore faces.

[0098] Therefore, full automation of the emptying, flipping and fillingaction is desirable and has advantages beyond ease of use. Automaticflipping action ensures dependable, reliable and regular drying. Theautomated flipping action must be able to rotate the bowl structure andrecognize the position to stop when the dry, soon to be filled bowl, isin a level position. The throw of the actuator used to perform the flipshould not need to be precise to make it work reliably.

[0099] The source of power for the bowl flipping action can be eitherelectric, hydraulic, pneumatic, any other suitable source, or acombination thereof. Electric options include, but are not limited to, amotor powered by a battery or other D/C source such as solar cells, or astandard home voltage level A/C power line. Safety for the operator mustbe ensured with all electrically powered options. Hydraulic poweroptions use the water pressure in the water supply line connected to thebath to provide the flipping action. House water power is particularlyattractive for driving the bowl emptying action, because it is alsoneeded to replenish the bowl. Also, it is relatively powerful,inexpensive, safe, environmentally benign, and robust.

[0100] Specific embodiments that perform bowl flipping automatically arediscussed below, along with the general principles that they illustrate.

[0101] Timing Control of Flipping And Filling Actions

[0102] A fully-automated embodiment of a birdbath must provide automaticcontrol mechanisms for transitioning to each of the states described inFIG. 2. The control mechanisms determine the frequency of the statetransitions and the duration each bowl is maintained in each state. Thistranslates into the timings of emptying a bowl and filling a replacementbowl.

[0103] The time for state transitions could be determined either viatimers, or via sensors and actuators, or combinations thereof. A designthat provides these control mechanisms fully via hydraulic methods ispossible and is explained below. Likewise, control mechanisms fully viamechanical methods are possible. However, some kind of electroniccontroller is typically desirable for at least some of the controlactions. Any such electronic controller could be battery, house line,solar powered or combination thereof, and could be located local to thebirdbath, or distant from the birdbath, either external or internal tothe nearest building structure or integral with or separate from othercomponents of the bowl support and manipulation structure. Such acontroller is described below, after description of additionalembodiments. The controller can also be incorporated into the pedestal,or other support structure of the apparatus.

[0104] Cam Assembly Simultaneous Lift and Flip Apparatus

[0105] A particularly useful embodiment is shown with reference to FIGS.13, 14A-14G, and 15A-15E. It will reliably flip a two-sided bowl andwill not get hung up midway through the process. In summary, theapparatus uses a linear piston actuating a bell crank to rotate an axlethat flips a two-faced bowl. The bell crank needs to rotate the axlethrough only a little more than 90°, after which the bowl continues torotate, while the bell crank remains still. A one-way clutch couples thebell crank to the axle. A cam assembly, such as a roller cam or slidingcam assembly, provides stability at only two rotational positions, andintroduces instability everywhere else, so that after the rotationthrough slightly more than 90°, the axle continues to rotate until itstops at one of the two stable positions.

[0106] The initial discussion refers specifically to FIG. 13, which is aperspective view with the double-faced bowl in partial cross-section. Itmay be helpful to also refer, at this time, to FIGS. 14A-14G and15A-15E, which are idealized, schematic figures. In most cases, theelements shown in FIG. 13 have reference numerals that are offset byplus one thousand from analogous elements shown in FIGS. 14A-14G and15A-15E.

[0107] A piston rod 1382 is housed in a cylinder 1384. The piston rod iscoupled to a bell crank 1380 that is coupled through a one-way clutch1383 to an axle 1381. The three elements of cylinder, rod and crankconstitute the principal components of an actuator for this embodiment.As discussed in more detail below, the clutch can also be present inother places along the drive train. A bowl assembly 1322, shown inpartial cross-section, has two faces 1354 and 1352, with face 1354 shownconcave facing upward. The bowl assembly is fixed to the axle to rotatewith it. The axle is constrained by a linear bearing 1393, at its endnear to the bell crank 1380. At the other end, distant from the bellcrank, the axle is constrained in a relatively loose bearing 1392. A camassembly 1396 having two cam followers 1395 and 1397, is fixed to rotatewith the axle 1381 and the bowl assembly 1322.

[0108] The figures in the FIGS. 14A-G set and the FIGS. 15A-E set show asimilar embodiment, in an idealized schematic representation. Adifference is that the cam bearing assembly and the piston assembly areon opposite ends of an axle, rather than on the same end. Thus, withreference to FIG. 14A, a bowl assembly 322 has two back-to-back bowls,with one bowl 354 shown concave facing upward and the other bowl 352shown concave facing downward. The bowls are rotationally fixed to anaxle 381, and are able to spin around an axis A (FIG. 12) that runsthrough the axle 381, but in one direction only, as indicated by thecurved single headed arrow S (FIG. 14B). A one-way clutch 383 of anysuitable design, is coupled through its output side to the bowl, asdescribed below. The input side of the one-way clutch is coupled to oneend of a bell crank linkage 380.

[0109] A piston rod 382, riding within a cylinder 384, is coupled to theother end of the bell crank 380. These three elements constitute theprincipal components of an actuator for this embodiment. The cylinder ispowered through a supply line 1386, typically hydraulic, and typicallywater.

[0110] Returning to FIG. 13, during a power stroke, the piston rod 1382is driven outward, in the direction of the arrow P, causing the bellcrank 1380, both input and output portions of the locked one way clutch1383 and the axle 1381 to rotate around the axis A in the direction ofthe arrow S. The bowl assembly 1322 is coupled to the axle and rotatesaround the axis A in the direction of the arrow S. Water that isretained in the concave upward facing bowl 1354 pours out of the bowl.

[0111] A relatively loose socket 1392 secures one end 1391 of the axle1381, so that the axle can rotate around the axis A, and also so thatthe axle 1381 can tilt around that end 1391, for reasons explainedbelow. The loose socket may also be described herein as a wobblybearing. A frame 1393 provides a channel 1394 in which the other end1399 of the axle 381 is loosely captured. The end of the axle 1381 canmove linearly along the length of the channel 1394 (up and down, asshown in FIG. 13), generally perpendicular to the axis A, and also fromside-to-side a small bit. Thus, the frame 1393 also provides a linearbearing for the axle 1381. The vertical freedom is needed only on oneend of the bowl axle. The axle will tilt, but lift only on one end.

[0112] The bowl assembly 1322 carries a pair of protruding elements 1395and 1397 which, together with the bowl, constitute a cam follower of acam bearing assembly 1396.

[0113] If the protruding element is a fixed non-rotating post, then itconstitutes a cam follower of a sliding cam assembly, which is forced toslide along the support plate 1362, which constitutes a cam surface. Ifthe protruding element is an axle, around which a rolling sleeverotates, then the rolling sleeve constitutes a cam follower of a rollercam assembly. The plate 1362 constitutes the cam surface in either case.In the following discussion, the cam assembly is referred to as ageneric cam assembly, which is meant to include both roller and slidingcam assemblies, and any other suitable cam-type mechanism.

[0114] Each cam follower has two bearing regions. For fixed posts, thebearing regions are the outer semi-cylindrical surfaces that face awayfrom each other. For rolling bearing, the bearing regions are the entireouter surface of each rolling bearing.

[0115] The piston arm 1382 extends under the pressure of the workingfluid (most conveniently, water), and rotates the end of the bell crankthat is attached to the piston, around the axis A, which in turn forcesone-way clutch 1383, which locks and forces the axle 1381 and thus bowlassembly 1322 around the axis A, in the direction of the arrow S. Suchrotation tips the bowl (into the page, as shown) to empty it. However,the axle 1381 is also linked through the bowl 1322 to the post 1397 ofthe dual post cam assembly 1396.

[0116] Thus, as the piston arm extends, the bowl assembly 1322 alsorotates around the axis A, and the post 1395 translates toward the frame1393 upon the support plate 1362 as the axle 1381 is forced around bythe piston. The support plate 1362 under the post 1395 constrains thepost such that it can't rotate around the axis A, unless at least oneend of the axis A itself moves upward. Thus, the torque on the axle 1381results in lifting one end of the axle 1381 upward, along the channel1394 of the linear bearing 1393. As the piston arm extends, the bowlassembly is supported vertically by the post 1397 on its bearing region,and by the axle 1381, which is in turn supported by the locked one wayclutch 1383, which does not permit rotation of the bowl assembly in thedirection opposite to the arrow S, the crank 1380 and the piston arm1382.

[0117] It is helpful to now consider FIGS. 14A-G and 15A-E for theremaining portion of the cycle. As mentioned above these figures depictan apparatus that is similar to that shown in FIG. 13. The majordifference is that the apparatus shown in FIG. 13 has the piston and camassembly on the same end of the axle 1381, while that shown in FIGS.14A-G and 15A-E has them on opposite ends of the axle 381. Referencenumerals in FIG. 13 (whenever possible) are offset by plus one thousandfrom reference numerals shown in FIGS. 14A-G and 15A-E, for similaritems.

[0118] At a point, shown in FIGS. 14B and 15B, the bowl 322 is tipped toa degree that the water 390 pours out, thereby emptying the currentlyconcave upward facing bowl 354. The bowl can be sculpted with a sort ofspout or several spouts, to direct the emptied water where desired.

[0119] As shown in FIGS. 14C and 15C, the piston arm 382 extendsfurther, until it has pushed the center of gravity of the combined bowl322 and cam assembly 396 far enough away from a vertical line V throughthe axle 381, such that the combined assembly will continue to move(under the influence of gravity) in the direction of the arrow S. Theassembly of components is not restrained from falling, because the oneway clutch 383 slips and does not prevent rotation of the bowl assemblyin the direction of the arrow S. The type of clutch schematicallyillustrated in FIGS. 14A-14F may be referred to as an “eccentric lobeone-way clutch” shown with a pair of diametrically opposed eccentriclobes. Thus, the bowl assembly 322 is free to rotate relative to thebell crank 380 in the direction of arrow S. The bowl and cam assemblyposts continue to rotate in the direction of the arrow S, until portionsof the bearing regions of both cam follower posts 395 and 397 of the camassembly are again in contact with the cam surface support plate 362(FIG. 15E).

[0120] The reason that the combined bowl and cam assembly falls is thatbeyond vertical, it is all being supported by the bearing region of thelower cam follower, for instance, 395, as shown in FIG. 15C. Before thecam assembly had rotated to vertical, it was supported vertically by acombination of the cam follower 395, and the torque in the directionopposite the arrow S, provided by the locked clutch, that does notpermit rotation in the direction opposite the arrow S, and the actuator,which is forcing the axle to rotate in the direction S. The combinedassembly is not supported vertically by the axle 381 alone. Once theupper cam follower is sufficiently beyond vertical, the combinedassembly simply falls forward in the direction that it has been pushed,causing the axle 381 to continue its rotation in the direction S.

[0121] After the bowl assembly proceeds to the next horizontal position,as shown in FIGS. 14E and 15E, the piston rod 382 and bell crank 380also return to the starting position, by essentially reversing steps, asshown at FIGS. 14F and 14G. The one way clutch slips, as the bell crankmoves in the direction opposite to the arrow S.

[0122] During the portion of the cycle that the piston rod 382 isextending, shown in FIGS. 14A, 14B and 14C, the angle between the bellcrank 380 and the bowl 322 (for instance as represented by a line H thatis midway between the two faces) remains constant. This is because theone-way clutch 383 locks and requires that the bowl assembly rotate withthe bell crank. However, after the bowl assembly passes the vertical, asshown at FIG. 14C, the angle between the bowl and the bell crank is nolonger constant. It increases until the bowl assembly stops movingbecause the cam followers 395 and 397 are both resting against thesupport cam surface 362. The one-way clutch slips and permits thisrelative motion. Thus, when the piston rod and bell crank return to thestarting position, the one-way clutch slips and permits such motion,without disturbing the bowl position.

[0123] The one-way clutch, the axle, the bowl, and a bell crank 380, canbe coupled to each other in various ways. The following is required. Asthe crank 380 rotates in the direction S, around axis A, it drives thebowl assembly 322 in the same direction, until the bowl assembly hasrotated through approximately 90°, and a bowl diameter is approximatelyvertical. The bowl assembly continues to rotate beyond vertical in thedirection S until it is horizontal again with the opposite concavesurface facing upward. The crank 380 reverses direction and returns toits starting position, either simultaneously with the continued forwardrotation of the bowls, or after they have become horizontal, or inbetween. Thus, the locked clutch permits the bowl to move only indirection S, relative to a stationary crank. The axle 380 can berotationally fixed to the bowl assembly 322, in which case, the clutchcouples the crank to the axle. Or, the axle 381 can be rotationallyfixed to the crank 380, in which case, the clutch couples the axle tothe bowl assembly.

[0124] The roller cam assembly shown in FIG. 15A is exactly analogous tothe cam assembly shown in FIG. 13. There is a difference however, inthat the cam assembly shown in FIG. 12 is located at the end of the axle1381 that is near to the piston and bell crank assembly, whereas in theembodiment shown in FIG. 15A, the roller cam assembly is at the end ofthe axle that is distant from the piston assembly. Either is possible,and FIG. 13 is provided, in part, to show this same-sided variant. FIG.14C and FIG. 15C, depict the same apparatus, at the same time in acycle, from opposite ends of the axle 381. By comparing these twofigures, it can be seen that one end of the axle translates up and down,in the linear bearing (shown in FIG. 15C) and the other end remainsessentially fixed in the vertical direction, as shown in FIG. 14C.

[0125] Turning to FIG. 15F for a moment, FIG. 15F shows a variation of acam follower assembly. FIG. 15F does not show another moment in thecycle, otherwise illustrated by FIGS. 15A-15E. In FIG. 15F, rather thantwo separate elements, the cam follower is a unitary, oblong element2396, having bearing regions 2395 and 2397, which serve the same purposeas the posts 395 and 397. The cam follower assembly shown in FIG. 15F isin the same configuration as is the cam assembly shown in FIG. 15C.

[0126] The bearing 392 is relatively loose to allow the axle 381 to tiltaway from horizontal, as the end that carries the cam follower (slidingor roller) is pushed up by the cam. The piston and crank may returnimmediately after the bowl has been delivered to a position from whichit will continue its rotation. However, it is advantageous for them toremain fully extended while the bowl fills, as shown in FIG. 14E. Anattractive place to locate a fill opening 365, shown in FIG. 14E (1365shown in FIG. 13) is in the end of the cylinder 384. As explained below,the full travel of the piston and rod 382 uncovers a pass-through hole365 that allows water to exit the cylinder and pass through a suitableconduit, such as a hose 389 into the concave upward facing bowl 352 FIG.14E (1354 as shown in FIG. 13,=). At the end of the fill cycle, adeformed spring (inside cylinder 384) retracts the piston 382 such asshown in FIG. 14D and re-cocks the bell crank 380. The spring may, forinstance, be inside the cylinder 384. This is possible, because when theclutch 383 slips, it allows rotation reverse of the arrow S for the bellcrank, relative to the axle 381. The spring constitutes a returnelement. Any suitable form of return element can be used, includingsprings of various types (coil, torsional, leaf, etc., either extendedor compressed, etc. Rather than a physical stored energy return element,such as a spring, gravity can also be used to return the bell crank toits initial position. Similarly, electronic and other forms of energystorage elements can be used, instead of mechanical.

[0127] With reference to FIG. 14E, the discharging cylinder 384 expelsthe working fluid. For instance, the cylinder may be slightly leaky,such that after the power stroke fills the cylinder with water as aworking fluid, the water leaks out, allowing the piston to return to itsrelaxed, start position, as shown in FIG. 14G. In the outdoorenvironment, where water is being intentionally poured onto the groundto empty the bird bath, the relatively small amount of leakage from thecylinder is not a drawback. This leakage also helps to prevent freezedamage.

[0128] As is evident, as shown in FIG. 14A, before the process begins,one bowl face 354 is in use, full of water, and concave facing upward.Simultaneously, the other bowl face 352 is concave downward, and isdrying out. After the piston extension and bowl fall, as shown in FIG.14E, the other bowl face 352 is now facing concave upward, and is readyto be filled from a water source 372 by any suitable means, typicallyautomatic, as discussed below. The recently emptied bowl face 354 is nowconcave facing downward, and is in position to dry out.

[0129] Thus, the piston arm must push the bowl through a rotation ofonly slightly greater than 90°, for instance between about 91° and about110°, preferably between about 95° and about 100°, to ensure that thecenter of gravity of the bowl and cam assembly is sufficiently beyondvertical to overcome any friction in the joints and between thesupporting cam follower and the support cam surface plate 362, so thatthe whole assembly falls forward in the direction of the arrow S. Thecam assembly 398, one-way clutch and support plate 362, insure that thebowl assembly goes through a repeat cycle of approximately 180°, no more(because the support plate and cam prevent over rotation); and no less(because the one-way clutch can not prevent the assembly from fallingonce it has passed sufficiently past vertical).

[0130] The working fluid supply 386 can be normal house water pressure,which is typically at least thirty psi (approximately 200,000 Pascals).This would be sufficient, for instance to flip a typical concretebirdbath, holding about one to three gallons of water, using a one-inchpiston. In general, ample power is available for operating any likelyflipping and filling mechanism.

[0131] A plastic birdbath weighs less, and would be lifted with lesspressure, or a smaller piston diameter.

[0132] The clutch can be any suitable one-way clutch, such as, but notlimited to, a roller locking clutch, a vane clutch, or ratchet-likeclutch.

[0133] The design provides a mechanism that is stable only in two placesof the cycle, each of which corresponds to one of the two bowls facingupward. The driving mechanism does not have to make an exact 180 degreemove, but only requires a move of 90°, plus a small overthrow. Itrecognizes nominal level relatively easily, and robustly, simply due toa cam follower resting on a support after falling through its rotation.In fact, a principal reason for the cam and the linear bearingassemblies is to provide this robust, mechanism to ensure that themechanism stops when it is substantially horizontal. Thus, there is noneed for the actuator throw to be just right to stop the bowls at thelevel position. It is also possible to use any other mechanism thatensures rotation through approximately 180°, with a sure stop at near tohorizontal, and without getting hung up.

[0134] The hydraulic driver assembly 384 and the cam assembly 396 can beon opposite ends of the axle A, as shown in FIGS. 14A and 15B. Or theycan be on the same end of the axle A, as shown in FIG. 13, shown ascylinder 1384 and cam followers 1395 and 1397. Placing them on oppositeends may make the flip axis vertical movement easier to accommodate.

[0135] It is helpful in some circumstances if the cam surface 1362 issubstantially horizontal at its ends, where the cam followers came torest, and then also trough or U-shaped at its mid-span. If so, then thepiston need not rise so high, because, when it is at its extreme neededto push the bowl beyond its mid-travel point, the low-position camfollower is in the trough of the cam surface. For this version, it isnecessary to make sure that the falling center of gravity has enoughmomentum to continue the rotation.

[0136]FIG. 13 shows an axle 1381 that passes through a full diameter ofthe bowl assembly 1322. The axle couples the bowl assembly to thepedestal 1366, and also transmits torque from the bell crank assembly1380 to the bowl assembly 1322. It is not necessary that there be anaxle through the full diameter. Instead, the bowl can be provided withrelatively short posts, aligned with each other, that extend outward.Or, one or both ends of the bowl can have sockets, into which an axiallyaligned, inward extending short post fixed on the pedestal fits.

[0137] The entire assembly may be supported on a pedestal 1366. Thefigures show an embodiment that is convenient to explain. But, forinstance, the frame elements 1367, 1369 could be fashioned to simulatebranches or twigs. The pedestal can be made in the form of a tree stump.The piston housing can also be fashioned to simulate branches of a tree.The arms of the pedestal yoke can form the arms of a human figure, thefingers of a large, human hand, etc. A multitude of other motifs arealso possible, as a designer will appreciate.

[0138] Rather than using a linear piston coupled to a bell crank totransduce linear motion into rotary motion, a rotary actuator can beused coupled more directly to the bowl shaft. A suitable hydraulicrotary actuator is described below in connection with FIGS. 18A-18E.Alternatively, an electric motor could be coupled to the shaft. Themotor must be further accommodated to rotate the shaft reliably through180°. This can be done for instance by using a dc motor, or an ac motorwith appropriate electromechanical controllers to ensure that the bowlscome to rest in a horizontal position. For instance, a regular DC motorcould be used with a “kill switch” that cuts the power when the bowlsreach horizontal. Or, the motor can over rotate beyond 180°, but can beconnected to the axle through a clutch that disengages the motor afterthe axle has rotated 180°. The motor would then shut off. Or, as shown,the motor could provide rotation through slightly more than 90°, beyondwhich a clutch would disengage the motor from the axle, allowing thebowls to advance to 180°, with the motor stopping by other controlmeans. The designer of ordinary skill will be able to apply theprinciples explained herein to various configurations of power supplyand transmissions.

[0139] Control and User Interface

[0140] For the birdbath to be fully automatic, the driver supply 386(FIG. 14E) to empty and advance the bowls and the bowl water refillsupply must be provided automatically from a nozzle or other source 372.The automation can be handled by use of a controller 363, with a drivesupply valve (within the controller, not shown, under control of asuitably programmed programmable mechanism 367 and a port 365 in thecylinder 384, as discussed above. The mechanism can be electronicmicroprocessor controlled or fully mechanical (analogous to a mechanicalwind-up clock, with an alarm).

[0141] An invention disclosed herein is the realization that it is veryconvenient for the controller to be a single valve controller, with onlyone cycle (on/off pair) for each corresponding bath cycle of flip, filland rest, until the next flip. It is further convenient if the cycle canbe set by a user simply setting a period between successive cycles, andthen a duration for water to be on for each cycle. The apparatusinventions disclosed herein can accommodate such a convenient controlscheme.

[0142] The controller can use similar components as the now commongarden water timers, which have one or more cycles, having programmablestarting times, durations and repeat parameters. The controller, ifelectronic, can be powered by house electric power, batteries, solarbatteries and power, or a combination of any of the three. Although ituses similar components, the organization and relationship among thecomponents is novel.

[0143]FIG. 16 shows the steps of a method of setting up an apparatussuch as is shown with reference to FIG. 14E, for instance, where thebowl is filled by the same water supply that drives the flippingmechanism. The user begins 1402 set-up mode and a bowl is positioned1404 in an in-use position, concave face upward. The user presses 1406 abutton and holds it, which opens a valve to flip and then fill thevessel. This begins to flip the vessel and then to fill the vessel. Theuser releases the button after the bowl has been flipped and filled. Thecontroller, in set-up mode, records, or memorizes 1408 the duration ofthis press-and-hold. Thereafter, when the controlling program activatesthe dual-purpose flip and replenishment valve to open, it opens for thatmemorized duration, thus, relatively reliably flipping the bowl and thenfilling the bowl to the same level.

[0144] The user also sets 1412 a timer to identify the period of timebefore the bowl assembly is again flipped and emptied, and the secondbowl is positioned for use and filled. For instance, every six hours,the bowl will flip and refill. Thus, each face will be full for sixhours, empty for six hours, and so on, being full for two six-hourperiods per 24-hour period. (The full periods need not be integerfactors of 24 hours. For instance, each bowl could remain full and thenempty for a five hour period.) The order that the controller and theuser perform these steps is not critical. The fill duration can be set1406 before or after the drying time duration is set 1412.

[0145] The user interface shown schematically in FIG. 17 can be usedwith the controller to establish the steps shown in FIG. 16. Acontroller 363 is housed within a housing 1502. The controller shown iselectromechanical. Electrical power may be provided by batteries (withinthe housing 1502), or by an electrical line (not shown) coupled to housecurrent, or from another electrical source such as a solar cell and abattery system. The controller is hydraulically coupled through a faucetfitting 1507 to the spout 272 of a faucet 274, such that water passesthrough a conduit 1508 through a water supply inlet 1501 into thehousing 1502. The controller and its output hose 1504 are hydraulicallyin parallel with the standard garden hose 386. A valve (not shown)within the controller, couples the water supply inlet 1501 to the outputhose 1504, as controlled by the controller, for instance, at periodictimes indicated by the period indicator 1516, for a duration set by theuser input by the user interface button 1506.

[0146] A faucet replacement valve 1564 is located within the conduit1508 and is controlled by a faucet replacement handle 1574. The state ofthe faucet replacement valve 1564 is indicated by the orientation of thefaucet replacement handle 1574, which is shown in the closedorientation. The faucet replacement handle replaces the function of thefaucet handle 274, which would be lost if the controller 363 were simplyplaced in series with the standard faucet 272, without any faucetreplacement valve 1564. Thus, the valve 1564 may be set to couple thefaucet fitting 1507 though the conduit 1508 to the hose fitting 1365 andthus the garden hose 1580 and to the water supply inlet 1501 of thecontroller 1502 so that water may flow through both the hose 1580 andthe controller 1502, in parallel, simultaneously. Water flows from thecontroller 1502 to the bath through the smaller diameter hose 1504. Or,the valve 1564 can be set, through the handle 1574, to couple the faucetfitting 1507 only through the water supply inlet 1501 of the controller1502, and not through the hose fitting 1365 and the garden hose 1580.

[0147] The button 1506 is pushed and held, as described above, toinitiate the set-up process and to establish the duration that the watershould be provided to the flipping and filling device. The controllermemorizes this duration. A mode ring 1512 selects among water to bathbeing: on, off, and automatic as described below. The ring 1512 rotatesaround an axis that is concentric with it and the main body of thecontroller housing 1502, to align the indicator dots with an indicator1514 that remains fixed relative to the housing. When set to on, thewater flows freely through the valve in the controller to the bath, asif the controller were not present. When set to off, the valve in thecontroller remains closed and water does not flow through the controllerat all. When set to automatic, the valve in the controller opens andcloses and water flows through the controller at periodic times, for aduration, according to the automatic schedule set in the controller togovern the flipping and filling of the bowl.

[0148] Thus, a valve within the controller is the valve that opens toprovide water power to the bath, to both flip it and fill it. Closingthe valve cuts off power to the bath assembly, until the controller nextopens the valve. The valve is not shown, but is within the housing 1502of the controller.

[0149] A rest cycle ring 1516 is rotated to set the duration that thecontroller allows one bowl to rest upright and in use, while theremaining bowl(s) are drying. The user matches the desired duration tothe indicator 1514. Two possible selections, 12 hr and 24 hr are shown.However, any number of selections can be provided, such as also 6 hr and36 hr, and these selections need not be factors of twelve ortwenty-four. Of course, the more selections that are available, the morepowerful the computing capacity of the controller needs to be. Moreselections provide the user with more flexibility in balancing theamount of time that a single bowl remains in use and that the otherbowl(s) are allowed to dry.

[0150] If the user turns the main faucet handle 274 to off, then waterdoes not reach the controller, and the bath will not fill or flipregardless of any other settings. Thus, it may be advantageous to placea marker, or an appropriate warning on the main faucet handle to remindthe user of this. Or, alternatively, the handle can be removed.

[0151] If the user finds that the cycles are not preventing contaminantdevelopment, the user can lengthen the period of drying, if it does notseem that the bowl is completely drying. If it is completely dryingbefore typically flipping, the user can reduce the period of time thatthe bowl remains full without emptying, thereby perhaps disrupting thegrowth of the contaminants. The user may also reduce the volume of thewater, thereby reducing drying time, and also reduce the time duringwhich water remains in the bowl, thereby reducing uninterrupted growthtime.

[0152] The duration that water power is on, is memorized by a durationmemory element of the controller. The duration memory element may be amagnetic memory, or other suitable device, including an electronictimer, a mechanical clock or an electric clock. It must simply be anydevice that can have a duration set in response to a user's pressing ofa button (or activation of another suitable user instruction element)and releasing the button (or corresponding action of another suitableinstruction element). Similarly, the periodic timing of when to turn thewater on is also memorized by a suitable periodic memory element,including the same types of devices mentioned above for the durationmemory element.

[0153] It is convenient if the user instruction element is a button thatcan be pushed, and easily held by physical pressure for the desiredduration. For instance, a spring loaded button is suitable. Alsopossible are two position switches, such as toggles, or spring loadeddetent push buttons. With these two position switches, the user mustfirst explicitly move the button to an on position, and then return itexplicitly to an off position. With a simple push button, the user musthold it in the on position. The switch does not remain there on its own.

[0154] Thus, the foregoing method of operation can accomplishperiodically flipping the bowls, and then filling each one,respectively, with a single valve water supply, and a simple one cyclecontroller. The controller simply turns on the water once every period,for the duration desired, and the actuator and transmissionautomatically accomplishes the flip and fill, as described above, andalso with additional embodiments discussed below.

[0155] It should be noted that the same user interface and controlscheme can be used for a lawn or garden watering system, and is notlimited to water bowl assemblies. For such a watering system, the twoposition on and off switch is preferred to the switch that must bephysically held in the on position. This is because the duration forsuch watering activities is usually at least minutes long, and moreoften nearly an hour. To set such a garden watering embodiment, the userwould switch it on, leave the device, and then return to set it to off.These two actions would combine to set the duration memory. The periodtimer would be set as with the water bowl mechanism.

[0156] Hydraulic Rotary Actuator

[0157] Any suitable actuator and transmission can be used to empty andadvance and fill the bowls. The foregoing has described a bell crank andlinear piston 382 and cylinder 384 driving mechanism. A rotary motor canbe coupled to a bowl axle, such as shown in any of FIGS. 5B, 9A, 9B, andcontrolled to drive the axle around, through approximately 180°. Or, anembodiment such as shown in FIG. 13 can be used, with a rotary actuatorcoupled to either end of the shaft. If it is coupled to the end with thewobbly bearing 1392, then there need be no accommodation of the verticaltranslation of the shaft end adjacent the cam. If the actuator iscoupled to the cam assembly end, then some accommodation has to be made,such as allowing the actuator to also rise and fall or by using aflexible couple.

[0158] The hydraulic rotary actuator 678 shown in FIGS. 18A-18E can beused to drive a bowl assembly through approximately 180°, and with asimple modification, through the 90 plus degrees that is useful for acam controlled embodiment as shown in FIG. 13. FIG. 18A shows a restposition, with no water pressure. A housing 678 has a semi-circularcross-section, with a semi-cylindrical open region 670 inside thereof.An axle 665 is maintained in bearings to rotate therein, as describedbelow. The axle is coupled to a bowl assembly, such as a two-faced bowlassembly shown in any of the figures discussed above. Rotation of theaxle around its axis causes rotation of the bowl assembly. In a typical,gearless arrangement, rotation of the axle through approximately 180°results in rotation of the bowl assembly from a position with a first ofthe bowls concave facing up, to a position with the second of the bowlsconcave facing up. This is indicated by the change in orientation of thetriangle, from apex pointing upward (FIG. 18A) to apex pointing downward(FIGS. 18A-18E).

[0159] The axle 665 is also coupled through a one-way clutch 676 to adriving ring 667 and a vane 668. The vane is coupled to the axle 665 sothat the vane can rotate around the axle through the semi-cylindricalopen region 670 as shown in FIG. 18B. A water inlet 669 is coupled to apressurized source of water, not shown, as discussed above, such ashouse water supply. The water inlet communicates with the open region670. A water outlet 688 as shown in FIG. 18C also communicates with theopen region 670. Operation of the actuator is discussed next.

[0160]FIG. 18A shows the actuator at rest, as it would be during thetime that a bowl is in use. The figures are arranged to be viewed insequence clockwise, starting with FIG. 18A, proceeding to 18B, 18C, 18Dand 18E, because the vane 686 moves generally clockwise as the sequenceproceeds. Initially, no pressure is provided at the water inlet 669.When the controller switches water pressure to the bowl assembly on, asdescribed above, the pressurized water applies a force to the vane 668,as shown in FIG. 18B, forcing the vane around the axis that runs throughthe axle 665 (clockwise, as shown). The one-way clutch 676 locks in theclockwise direction, so the pressure on the vane 668 is applied throughthe driving ring 667 to the axle 665, also forcing the axle to rotatearound the axis in the clockwise direction. As the axle 665 begins torotate, so do the bowls (not shown) that are coupled to it.

[0161]FIG. 18C shows the situation as the water has forced the vanealmost entirely through the open half-cylinder 670, approximately 180°,so that the vane 668 passes beyond the opening in half cylinder 670 wallto the outlet port 688. Water within the open region 670 is thuspermitted to flow through the outlet port, through a conduit (not shown)to fill the just flipped bowl. At the same time, the relatively highpressure water keeps the vane 668 advanced toward the end of its travel.

[0162]FIG. 18D shows the vane pressed against a travel stop 672, whichpermits the vane to proceed approximately 180°, but no further. It isparticularly advantageous to use this type of a rotary actuator with acontroller as explained above, which maintains the water source open fora memorized duration, which duration is long enough to fully flip thebowls, and then to fill the upward facing bowl the desired amount. Whenthis time duration ends, the controller shuts off the water supply,thereby reducing the pressure within the open region 670 to ambient. Avane return spring 686 is coupled to the vane to return it to thestarting position shown in FIG. 18A, and thus constitutes a returnelement. FIG. 18E shows the vane as it is returning in thecounter-clockwise direction of arrow R, from the extreme limit of itstravel, shown in FIG. 18D, back toward the starting position.

[0163] The one-way clutch 676 couples the vane to the axle 665, suchthat when the spring 686 forces the vane and driving ring 667 to returnto the rest position, the clutch slips and the axle 665 does not returnwith the vane. Thus, the axle, and the now flipped bowls remainundisturbed. This is indicated by the directional triangle shown on theend of the axle 665, which remains pointing downward as it does in FIG.18D, even as the vane returns. Note that in the starting position, shownin FIG. 18A, the triangle is pointing upward. As the vane returns to itsstarting position, it forces the small amount of remaining water in theopen region back out the inlet port 669. A valve, not shown, downstreamof this port permits the water to exit the system to the ground. Thevalve is the type of valve that is provided in most lawn sprinklersystems to drain under no pressure. A typical such valve is simply aleaky valve which is spring loaded open. But, the valve has enough flowresistance to be forced closed when the system is fully pressurized.When the pressure source is removed, it slowly leaks until the pressuredrops a bit and allows the spring to reopen—thus draining.

[0164] The rotary actuator shown in FIGS. 18A-18E merely illustrates oneway that a rotary actuator could be used with a two-faced bowl assembly.It reliably causes the bowl assembly to flip through approximately 180°,no more, and no less. Such an actuator, with a slight modification,could also be used with the cam-governed bowl assembly as shown in FIG.13. For instance, the actuator can be coupled to the end of the shaftthat is distant from the cam assembly. Rather than rotating throughapproximately 180°, the open portion 670 of the cylinder can occupy anarc of only approximately 100°. When the bowls have passed vertical by asufficient degree, as discussed above, they will simply fall intoposition. This latter embodiment has the advantage that the throw neednot be so precisely matched at 180°, and the vane need pass through only100°.

[0165] The mechanism shown can be secured to a pedestal, so that theaxle 665 is horizontal, and simply bears a double-facing bowl, asdiscussed above. Alternatively, the mechanism can be rotated 90°, sothat the shaft is vertical, and a transmission, to which bowls areattached, can be provided to convert rotation around a vertical axis torotation around a horizontal axis, to accomplish the flip.

[0166] Thus, this embodiment achieves a goal of providing a waterpowered mechanism that automatically flips a two-faced bowl atappropriate periodic times, filling the empty bowl with the same watersupply. It is robust and not prone to over flipping the bowl. It can becontrolled by a single valve water supply and a one-cycle controller.

[0167] Low Profile Bowl Assembly

[0168] The automated embodiment shown in FIG. 13 is most advantageouslyused with a pedestal. This is because as the bowl flips, it must risehigh enough to clear whatever is supporting it. A pedestal can have ayoke, so that the bowl need not be lifted so high, as it would need tobe lifted were it supported by a flat surface, such as the ground. Ofcourse, a depression could be formed in the ground, thus, essentiallycreate the geometry of a yoke, and the embodiment shown in FIG. 13 couldbe used fairly well. Modifications would also need to be made to thedriving mechanism, or it would need to be submerged also.

[0169] As has been mentioned, there is some thought that birds areattracted to baths that have a relatively low profile relative to theground, or are supported by only a minimal pedestal. This is becausemost natural baths are ground level pools, streams, puddles, etc. Thus,relatively low profile bowls are more natural. Further, as has beenmentioned, a need similar to that of birdbath maintenance arises inconnection with water bowls for other animals, such as dogs and cats,and some zoo and farm animals, such as pigs, sheep, goats, cows, horsesand chickens. Namely, often these animal's minders leave bowls of waterfor the animals, when the minder is away for an extended time period.Such bowls also become rather contaminated over time. Further it wouldbe beneficial to the animal to provide relatively fresh water, or, toreplenish water that has become depleted by consumption or spilling orevaporation. Thus, a ground supported mechanism for flipping and fillinga bowl has many uses.

[0170] A mechanism that can be used for such a ground supported bowl isshown with reference to FIGS. 19, 20A-D and 21. It uses a linear piston,a lever and a hydraulic rotary actuator. The apparatus 802 has a base821 and a bowl assembly 820. The bowl assembly has a two-faced bowl, asdescribed above, with a bowl face 822* shown concave facing upward. Face822** is not shown, but is concave facing downward as shown in FIGS. 19,20A and B. FIG. 19 is a schematic perspective rendition, and FIGS. 20A,B and D are partial schematic cross-sectional renderings. FIG. 20C ispartly in cross-section and partly perspective, to show a bowl rotating.FIG. 21 is of a related design discussed below.

[0171] A cylinder 884 resides within the base 821. Within the hollowinterior 870 of the cylinder, travels a piston 868. A fluid couplinghose 886 couples a water supply (not shown) to the interior 870 of thecylinder through an inlet port 863. A valve 883 pierces the piston 868and, as discussed below, at certain times, provides fluid communicationacross the piston from one portion of the volume 870 to another. Apiston rod 882 is rigidly coupled to the piston 868. The rod 882 has acentral hollow 888 which also pierces the piston 868 and communicateswith the open volume 870.

[0172] The piston rod 882 is rigidly coupled to a connection arm 890,which is hinged at a hinge 885 to a lifting arm 887. The lifting arm iscoupled to the base 821 through another hinge 881, about which thelifting arm rotates, as described below. The lifting arm is also rigidlycoupled to a housing of a rotary actuator 878, which may be similar tothat described above in connection with FIGS. 18A-18E. The rotaryactuator is coupled to an axle 865, as described above, through aone-way clutch (not shown). The axle 865 is coupled directly to the bowlassembly 820, so that the bowls rotate with the axle. A conduit 889couples the outlet of the fluid rotary actuator to the atmosphere.

[0173] Typical operation of the ground-supported embodiment is asfollows. The rest configuration is shown in FIG. 19. The base 821 restson the ground, or other planar support. The bowl assembly 820 restswithin the base, relatively near to flush with the surface of theground. One bowl surface 822* is concave facing upward, filled withwater, available for use by birds or other animals. A controller asdiscussed above in connection with FIG. 17, controlled by the stepsoutlined in connection with FIG. 16, controls the bowl. It provideswater at house pressure to the unit for a predetermined duration oftime, which water drives the apparatus to empty the filled bowl surface822*, flip the bowl assembly 820 to present the surface 822** for use,and fills the surface 822** with water, and then shuts off.

[0174]FIG. 20A shows, in partial cross-section, schematically, thesituation at the moment that the pressurized water is provided to theapparatus. The water enters the supply conduit 886, and passes into thecylinder 884, where it pushes the piston 868 against the return elementspring 804.

[0175] As shown with reference to FIG. 20B, the piston moves within thecylinder, to the left. The piston is rigidly connected to its rod 882,which is rigidly connected to the connection arm 890. Thus, both alsomove in the direction that the piston moves. This motion also pulls thelifting arm 880, so that it pivots around the hinge 881. The lifting armis rigidly coupled to the bowl assembly 820, so that the bowl assemblyalso rotates around the hinge 881, on the opposite side of the hingefrom the lifting arm. (Thus, the lifting arm and the bowl form a lever,with the fulcrum at the hinge 881.)

[0176] As shown with reference to FIG. 20C, the piston 868 is forcedfurther along the cylinder 884, until, eventually, it reaches the limitof its travel. At that limit, the valve 883 is opened so that the waterunder pressure can pass through it, from the upstream side (to the rightas shown in the figures), to the downstream side of the piston), intothe region where the compressed spring lies, around the face of thepiston 868, and back up through a hollow central portion 888 of the rod882. This hollow portion is coupled to a conduit 887, which is coupledto the inlet of the rotary actuator 878 (not shown in FIG. 20C). Thisactuator can work in the same way as the rotary actuator describedabove. Thus, once the water under pressure is introduced to its inlet,it begins to rotate, driving the axle around, and thus the bowls thatare coupled to the axle. Thus, as shown in FIG. 20C, the bowl assembly820 has begun to rotate around the axle, so that the previously concavefacing downward face 822** will become concave facing upward. It isshown about ¼ of the way around. The lifting arm 880 only needs to liftthe bowl high enough so that it has clearance above the support, to berotated in this manner. Thus, it need not lift the bowl as high as wouldbe necessary to set a bowl diameter to vertical. The required heightdepends on the geometry of the base, what cut-outs or reliefs it mayhave, etc.

[0177] Eventually, the rotary actuator passes through 180°, as describedabove, at which point the water under pressure passes entirely throughthe rotary actuator, exiting through a port into the bowl fill conduit889, as shown in FIG. 20D.

[0178] This opens the entire fluid path to ambient at the extremedownstream end, such that the pressure on the rod face of the piston 868no longer overcomes the spring and the gravity load of the bowlassembly, which together force the piston back to the rest position,shown in FIG. 20D. (The fluid pressure on the two faces of the piston isnear to equal, due to the pass through valve 883.) The pass-throughvalve is of any suitable self-energizing type that will remain openuntil the duration of the filling phase of the cycle has ended. Forinstance, that pass-through valve can be similar to the one described inconnection with FIG. 24 below. Once the valve opens, the supply pressureis provided to the valve in opposition to the return spring untilanother condition triggers shut off of the supply. Such a valve remainsin an open state until the supply pressure is removed.

[0179] The bowl and lifting arm also return to the rest position, but,now with the opposite face, 822** concave facing upward. Water continuesto pass through the entire mechanism, including the bowl fill conduit889, flowing into the bowl surface 822** filling it. The water shuts offafter a predetermined duration, and the apparatus is ready to remain inuse with the other bowl surface 822** concave facing upward, for apredetermined use duration, until the cycle begins again, as in FIG.20A. Water begins to flow through the bowl-fill conduit, and out itsoutlet, before the bowl is in place to hold water. This is not aproblem, because the bowl is typically out doors where water spilled onthe ground is acceptable.

[0180] As the bowl assembly has rotated with the axle, the housing ofthe rotary actuator has not rotated, nor have the conduit 887 thatsupplies it, or the bowl fill conduit 889. After the water shuts off,the actuator's moving parts return to their original resting position,under the influence of a return spring (not shown). This occurs withoutthe return of the axle and bowl assembly to its original positionbecause the one-way clutch slips. A suitable location for the clutch iscoupling the internal structure of the rotary actuator, for instance, avane, to the axle.

[0181] This apparatus can also be controlled by a simple controller thatrequires only a single command to turn water on, and, then, after apreset duration, during which time the bowls are flipped and filled,turn the water off. Several interactions are important (but notabsolutely required) for this simplicity. The end of travel of thepiston 868 initiates action of the rotary actuator. The end of travel ofthe rotary actuator starts the bowl fill. The gravity loaded pistonretreats to its initial position, while the pass-through valve 883remains open. The rotary actuator remains open, staying at the end oftravel until the water pressure reduces to zero.

[0182] Thus, an embodiment of the invention shown with reference toFIGS. 19 and 20A-D can be fully automated, and driven by house watersupply to flip and fill the bowls, at a period as desired by the user.The apparatus can be discretely supported level with the ground, andstill conveniently flipped. It will be attractive to those birdsaccustomed to bathing in ground level baths.

[0183] The driving mechanism is shown for illustration only, and is notmeant to be limiting. There are other ways to actuate a low profilebowl, using only hydraulic power, or using hydraulic and electric power.

[0184] Simultaneous Rotating and Lifting

[0185] A second related embodiment is shown schematically with referenceto FIG. 21. This embodiment is similar, except that the flippingactuator, rotary actuator 1878, is energized in parallel(simultaneously) with the lifting actuator, piston 1868, rather than inseries with (after) it. Thus, the bowl 1820 begins to rotate around theaxis before it has been fully lifted. This parallel action occursbecause a Y-fitting 1879 splits the flow of supply fluid from the supplyconduit 1886 and directs it to both the lifting piston actuator 868 andthe rotary actuator 878, simultaneously, through lift conduit 1883 androtation conduit 1879, respectively.

[0186] One Actuator Rotating and Lifting

[0187] A third related embodiment (not shown) is very similar to thatjust discussed, but it has no lifting actuator or linkage, and only hasa rotary actuator, such as 878. The power fluid is introduced directlyfrom a source to a sufficiently powerful rotary actuator. As the bowlbegins to rotate the point of contact between it and the ground startsat a point approximately 90° around the bowl perimeter from theactuator, and moves toward the actuator.

[0188] Forcing a point along the perimeter against an underlying supportcauses the bowl to tip up at that contact point. For this to happen, thebowl and actuator must be hingedly mounted to the planar support, sothat the diameter can tilt upward, rotating around the hinge.

[0189] For instance, the embodiment can be similar to that as shown inFIG. 21, but without the lifting actuator 1868. The bowl is mounted to ahorizontal support upon which the concave downward facing bowl directlysits. A rotary actuator similar to 1878 provides actuation. The diameterof the bowl assembly 1820 tips up around the point of contact betweenthe bowl and the horizontal support as the bowls rotate.

[0190] In general, the low profile embodiments shown have a linearactuator where the travel of the piston is essentially horizontal. Thisneed not be. It can be inclined. In general, the more it is inclined tohorizontal, the higher will be its profile. Thus, one may, somewhatarbitrarily, consider embodiments having an actuator that travelsbetween 0 and 45° to horizontal as a low profile embodiment, and thosewith the actuator between 45° to 135° to horizontal as not being lowprofile embodiments.

[0191] These ground level or low profile embodiments can also readily beused to maintain fresh water in pet bowls, such as for dogs, cats, etc.,and to flip, empty and refill such bowls at a frequency chosen tominimize the accumulation of contamination. Similarly, for zoo and farmanimals, the principles and designs shown herein can be adapted toprovide fresh, uncontaminated water. The scale may need to be largeenough to match the scale of the animals, and in some cases, higherpressures or other force intensification design may be required.However, these are within the skill of the designer.

[0192] Sequencing of Actuator Actions

[0193] Several general considerations obtain regarding the sequencing ofactuator actions. There must be at least one actuator. One motion or itsequivalent that must be actuated is to rotate a bowl around a diameter,so that a first face that is originally concave facing upward, becomesconcave facing downward. For instance, the embodiment shown in FIG. 13employs a single actuator. Other embodiments that might use a singleactuator are those shown in FIGS. 7A-7C, and 23. (Some of theembodiments shown flip a bowl around a diameter, while the diameteritself also moves through space. For instance, the embodiment shown inFIG. 12, the bowl rotate around a diameter as the diameter moves in alarge arc. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7A-7C, the diameter (orequivalent, since the bowls need not be circular) moves in a circlearound the central axle 760. As it does so, each individual bowl rotatesaround that diameter, so that its concave surface is at one time facingupward, and at another, facing downward. There are other geometric waysto describe this motion, all of which will be understood to beequivalent by the person skilled in the art.)

[0194] In general, to rotate around a diameter, clearance must exist insome way, for the bowl edges that are being exchanged with each other,to move past whatever horizontal support supports the bowl. In theembodiments shown in FIGS. 7A-7C, 12 and 13, clearance arises due to theconfiguration of the pedestal. For low-profile, or ground level devices,such as shown in FIGS. 11A-11G, 19, 20A-20D, 21, a more complex motionis required. (The embodiment shown in FIG. 22 (discussed below) ispedestal mounted, but the pedestal has an essentially planar flatsupport surface, with no yoke. Thus, for purposes of bowl flipping, therequirements are similar to those required for a ground levelembodiment.)

[0195] For such planar or ground level configurations, one way to flipthe bowls is illustrated with respect to FIGS. 11A-11G, as discussedabove. The bowl assembly is tipped such that a bowl diameter becomesinclined relative to horizontal. When the diameter has tipped up enoughto provide clearance for the edges, the bowl is rotated around thetilted diameter such that the edges most distant from the diameterexchange places. Then, the tip-up is reversed by a tip-down.

[0196] In terms of geometric symmetries, a simple reflection around adiameter (accomplished as a rotation around a diameter) is equivalent toa rotation through some angle R around a first axis, followed by arotation through 180° around the diameter, followed by a reverserotation through angle negative R around the first axis. Such compoundmotions around two axes are conveniently accomplished with twoactuators. One actuates the tilting up and down of the diameter. Theother actuates the rotation around the diameter.

[0197] The embodiment shown in FIG. 20A uses two actuators that operatein series: one to tip the bowl assembly 820 upward so that a diameter isinclined to horizontal, and another actuator 878 to rotate the bowlsaround that diameter. The similar embodiment, shown in FIG. 21 energizesthe actuators in parallel, simultaneously, so that even as a firstpiston actuator 1868 tilts the bowl diameter upward, a second, rotaryactuator 1878 rotates the bowl assembly around the diameter. The thirdlow profile embodiment, not shown, uses a single actuator, as discussedabove, so actuator sequencing is not an issue.

[0198] In general, one invention disclosed herein is that the entireprocess occurs under the control of a controller that periodically opensa single valve for a single duration of time. If there is a singleactuator, such as the embodiment shown in FIG. 13, then the mechanicalarrangement, for instance, a cam assembly, organizes the sequencing ofany lifting, rotating and lowering and filling. If there are dualactuators, such as one for lifting and lowering and one for rotating,then the actuators can be in series, or in parallel, operating insequence, or simultaneously. If in series, then the activation of alater operating actuator is conveniently triggered by a configuration ofan actuator that is earlier in the series. For instance, the end oftravel of a first actuator can trigger energization of a secondactuator. Or, rather than the end of travel, arrival at some other pointof travel, such as the midpoint. The fill function can also be triggeredby passage of actuator components, such as pistons or vanes, past ports,or switches. All such triggering will require tuning and balancing ofspring forces, pressures, etc.

[0199] Pedestal Mounted Simultaneous Tipping and Rotating Bowls

[0200] A pedestal mounted embodiment that illustrates a bowl assembly, adiameter of which tips up while simultaneously, flipping (rotating) thebowl around that diameter, is shown with reference to FIG. 22, FIG. 22A,FIGS. 23A-23D and FIGS. 24A and 24B.

[0201] A pedestal 426, is supported by the ground 400, or anotherhorizontal support. The pedestal supports a bowl assembly 420, asdiscussed, having two bowl faces: one, 422* shown concave surface facingupward; and, back-to-back with it, another 422**, shown concave surfacefacing downward. The bowl assembly 420 is coupled through a linkage to apiston assembly 404, having a piston 468, that is housed in a cylinder484. The linkage includes a piston rod 482, coupled directly to thepiston, a cable 490, coupled to the rod, which cable is trained around apulley 452. A lifting arm 480 is coupled to the cable by a hinge. Thelifting arm pivots around pivot pins 481 a and 481 b (not shown), whichis fixed (through arms 485 a and 485 b) to the pedestal. Pivot pins arecoaxial, and extend toward each other. Each is supported by a respectivearm 485 a, 485 b.

[0202] The bowl assembly 420 is fixed to an axle 465, so that the bowlassembly rotates with the axle around the axle's axis of elongation. Thebowl also moves with the axle 465 as the axle pivots around the splitpivot pin 481 a, 481 b. A bevel gear pair 454, is composed of an axialgear 456 that is co-axial with the axle 465, and that is coupled to itthrough a one-way clutch 476. The other bevel gear segment 458, of thepair 454 is fixed to arm 485 b and remains translationally fixedrelative to the pedestal (and ground) when the bowl assembly tips up androtates around an axis. The axes of the two bevel gears intersect at apoint that would be the center of the pivot pin 481 a, 481 b if it werenot split into two segments. Thus, the bevel gears intersect at a pointon the axis along which the two pivot pins are aligned, which also liesinside the axle 465 of the bowl pair.

[0203] The axle 465 is supported by a bearing sleeve 463. The bearingsleeve is a hollow cylinder that is supported by the pivot pins 485 a,485 b, so that the bearing sleeve pivots around them, and carries theaxle 465 with it. The axle is free to rotate around its long axis,relative to the bearing sleeve 463. The bearing sleeve 463 does notrotate around the long axis of the axle.

[0204] As the bowl axle 465 is caused to tilt up, pivoting around thepivot pins 481 a and 481 b due to the tilting of the bell crank 480 alsoaround the pivot pins, the bevel gear 456 travels along the mating bevelgear 458, generally downward and to the left, as shown in FIG. 22. Thistranslation drives the axial bevel gear 456 to rotate around the longaxis of the axle 465. The bevel gear 456 is coupled to the bowl assembly420 through a one way clutch 476. The one way clutch 476 is arrangedwith a first side coupled to the bevel gear 456 and a second sidecoupled to the axle 465, such that rotation of the bevel gear 456 in afirst direction counterclockwise (as seen from the right of FIG. 22)locks the clutch and causes the axle 465 to rotate in the samedirection, and thus, the bowl assembly with it. But, the clutch slipswhen the bowls begin to descend, causing the axle 465 to tilt downward,driving the axial bevel gear in the opposite direction along its matingfixed gear portion 458 (generally back upward and to the right, as shownin FIG. 22, and rotating 476 clockwise), and thus, the axle 465 is notdriven in the opposite direction (clockwise). Thus, the bowls flip onthe way up, and stay flipped, as they move back down.

[0205] The sleeve 463 and the internal axle 465 and the pivot pins 481 aand 481 b are arranged in a gimbal fashion, so that the internal axle465 and the sleeve pivot together around the pivot 481, but moveindependently in rotation around the long axis of the axle 465 anddiameter D.

[0206] The cylinder 484 has an interior region divided by the pistoninto a piston face chamber 470 and a piston rod chamber 471, in whichthe piston 468 resides. A water supply conduit 486 is coupled to a watersupply, and to a two-position hydraulic control valve 450, shown indetail with reference to FIGS. 24A and 24B. The control valve 450 isalso coupled to a bowl-fill conduit 489, a drain 487, and to the pistonrod chamber 471 of the cylinder 484. The control valve has avalve-actuating button 483. A valve trigger 479 is carried by the pistonrod. When the piston rod is near to the extreme end of its travel intothe cylinder, the valve trigger 479 pushes upon the valve actuatingbutton 483.

[0207] Within the hydraulic control valve 450, the valve-actuatingbutton is rigidly connected to a spool valve 440. The spool valve hastwo sliding surfaces 442 and 441, which divide a hollow chamber withinthe control valve 450 into two chambers, 444 and 446. The position ofthe spool valve and the sub-chambers, relative to the various conduitswithin the control valve 450 for supply 486, bowl fill 489, drain 487and cylinder 473, determine the route that the pressurized waterfollows, and thus, the operation of the device, as described below. Aspool valve return spring 448 is positioned to return the spool valve440 to a rest position if no force is applied to the actuating button483. A passage 490 hydraulically connects the bowl fill chamber 444 to alatch surface 492 of the spool valve 440.

[0208] The foregoing describes the structure of the apparatus. Itsoperation is described next.

[0209] As shown in FIG. 20, the bowl assembly 420 may have one bowlsurface 422* concave facing upward, at rest, and filled with water foruse. This corresponds with the piston 468 at the upper end of itstravel, such that the shaft chamber 471 of the cylinder is relativelysmall, compared to when the piston is at the other extreme of itstravel. As shown in FIG. 23A, no water is supplied to the pistonassembly 404 at this time.

[0210] The state of the control valve 450 is not crucial, because nowater is provided to the supply conduit 486 by the controller, notshown. However, it is important that the control valve has returned toits start position when pressure is removed, so that it is ready for thenext cycle. The water supply controller can be of the type describedabove, in connection with FIG. 17.

[0211] When the water supply controller timer reaches its set limit(e.g. twelve hours) such that it switches on the supply of water to theapparatus, the state of the control valve 450 is as shown with referenceto FIG. 24A. The spring 448 is expanded to force the control shaft 440upward, as shown, so that the supply conduit 486 ishydraulically-coupled to the cylinder rod sub-chamber 471 through thecylinder conduit 473. The drain conduit 487 and the bowl-fill conduit489 are isolated, and not in hydraulic communication with any other partof the system.

[0212] The hydraulic communication between the supply and the rodsub-chamber 471 of the cylinder is also shown schematically withreference to FIG. 23B. The button 383 is up. The water under pressurefills the rod sub-chamber 471, driving the piston deeper into thecylinder. This, in turn, as shown with reference to FIG. 22, pulls onthe cable 452, which pulls the lifting arm to pivot around the pivotpins 481 a, 481 b, as described above.

[0213] As shown in FIG. 22, as the piston moves downward and the liftingarm is pulled around the pivot pins, the bowl assembly tips up aroundthe pivot shaft 481 a, 481 b (clockwise, as shown) and simultaneouslyspins around the long axis of the axle 465 and diameter D that passthrough the pivot pins. FIG. 22 shows an intermediate position, inphantom at B, when the diameter D of the bowl has tilted upwardapproximately 45° around the pivot axis, and 90° around its diameter, sothat the surface 422**, which had been concave facing downward, isconcave surface facing horizontal, toward the reader of the page. As thepiston travels further into the cylinder, the diameter D of the bowlcontinues to tilt upward, until it is essentially vertical, as shown inphantom at C. Simultaneously, the bowl assembly has continued to spinaround this diameter D, so that the surface 422** is now concave surfacefacing to the right, and the originally upward facing surface 422* isnow concave surface facing to the left.

[0214]FIG. 23C shows the situation of the cylinder 484 when the pistonreaches the deepest extent of its travel into the chamber 470 and thebowl has completely tipped upward and flipped. The valve trigger 479engages the shaft button 483 and presses it downward, so that theselecting shaft 440 moves to the position shown with reference to FIG.24B. In this position, the supply 486 is no longer coupled to thecylinder 471 through the cylinder chamber 446 and the cylinder conduit473. Rather, the supply is now coupled to the bowl-fill conduit 489,through the bowl-fill chamber 444. The cylinder is coupled to the drain487, through the cylinder conduit 473 and the cylinder chamber 446.

[0215] Thus, water begins to pass, under pressure, through the bowl-fillconduit 489, from which it spouts out, into the air, and, eventually, asthe bowl returns to horizontal, as explained below, into the bowl 420,with the new bowl face 422** now concave surface facing upward. At thesame time, the cylinder chamber is now in communication with the drain487. The bowl assembly is no longer being pulled upward by the linkageunder pressure, and it begins to pivot downward under the influence ofgravity around the pivot shaft 481, in reverse of the direction that itrose. As the bowl returns to horizontal, it pulls on the linkage, whichpulls the piston upward, thus draining the upper, rod chamber 471 of thecylinder.

[0216] The button 483 and spool valve 440 are self energizing, by virtueof the self-energizing passage 490, so that they stay in the positionshown in FIG. 24B until the pressure is removed even though the triggeris no longer pushing on the button 483. This is because the pressure isprovided to the latch surface 492 of the spool value 440, which pressureis high enough to overcome the force from the deformed spring 448.

[0217] The return of the bowl is decoupled from the bevel gears by theone-way clutch 476, so that as the bowl assembly returns to have itsdiameter horizontal, the swinging axial bevel gear 456 also returns, androtates around its axis, while meshing with the fixed bevel gear 458,but the bowl assembly 420, does not rotate around its axis, as it didwhen the bowl assembly rose. Thus the bowl assembly tilts downwardwithout spinning around its axis.

[0218] The bowl is shown to be essentially vertical at the phantomrendition C, which corresponds to the piston position at the extreme ofits travel. In such a case, it is beneficial to provide some agency tohelp initiate the downward return of the bowls, because the verticalconfiguration may be semi-stable. A suitable agency is a return spring,suitable located and coupled to the bowl assembly 420, or the liftingarm 480, for example. Alternatively, the travel of the bowl assembly canbe limited so that it does not achieve full verticality. In that case,gravity acting upon the center of gravity of the bowl assembly initiatesthe downward motion when force is no longer applied to the lifting arm480 through the cable. Water continues to run through the system,filling the bowl, until the user set duration expires, and a controllervalve shuts off the water. By this time, enough time has transpired forthe bowl to have been filled.

[0219] The cylinder should preferably not be closed for several reasons.Freezing is one reason. The cylinder has an opening 430, so that anywater that does collect in it will drain out, rather than filling andfreezing, or causing other problems. Another problem is that leakagepast the piston could fill the lower space 470 and eventually block thepiston—even if it were not frozen. The cylinders of the control valve450, which surround the ends of the spool valve 440, also each featurevent passages 494 and 496, for the same reasons.

[0220] Thus, another mechanism is disclosed that accomplishes emptying,flipping, and filling a dual faced bowl assembly with only a one valve,one cycle controller, that turns water on, provides it for apredetermined duration, and then turns it off.

[0221] The embodiment shown in FIG. 22 (discussed below) has only oneactuator (piston 468), but couples that actuator to the bowl through acompound linkage that tips up the bowl so that a diameter moves fromhorizontal to near vertical, and simultaneously, as it is tippingupward, rotates it around the diameter.

[0222] Alternately, rather than using a compound linkage, twoindependent actuators could be used, similar to as shown in FIG. 18. Thebevel gear assembly can be replaced by a rotary actuator similar to 878shown in FIG. 19B, and the two actuators can be operated in series, orin parallel, as discussed.

[0223] Kinetic Aesthetic

[0224] It will also be appreciated that the relatively inexpensive,reliable flipping of the bowls, and periodic spraying, or spouting ofwater provides independent aesthetic elements to a garden or yarddesign. The form of the spouting water can be adjusted in a spray, orfan, or sheets, depending on artistic and aesthetic goals. The frequencyof the bowl flip and fill can be increased to be of shorter durationthan that required to maintain the bowls free of contamination, toprovide a kinetic element to the yard and garden design. In fact, thedesigns can be modified slightly, so that the water continuously spouts,and maintains the bowls filled to overflowing at all times, while theflipping action occurs as required to maintain cleanliness. Multiplebowls can be provided in cascade arrangement, with some or all of themflipping as described.

[0225] Similarly, in the case of zoo animals, the kinetic and spoutingfeatures of the apparatus can be incorporated into a multitude ofaesthetic features of animal habitats.

Concluding Summary

[0226] Many techniques and aspects of the inventions have been describedherein. The person skilled in the art will understand that many of thesetechniques can be used with other disclosed techniques, even if theyhave not been described as being used together. Thus, the fact that asub-combination of features that are described separately, may not bedescribed in sub-combination, does not mean that the inventors do notregard any such sub-combination as an invention that is disclosedherein.

[0227] For instance, any of the following techniques and features can beused with any of the others: allowing a bowl to dry out beforerefilling; preventing a bowl from remaining full long enough forcontaminants and other undesirable elements to grow and adhere; atwo-or-more-faced bowl; using two separate bowls alternately; flipping atwo-faced bowl; dumping a simple bowl; allowing a bowl to drain empty;mounting bowls on a pedestal, or on or near the ground; providing asplit-pedestal, such as a yoke, or a split-bowl to allow flippingthrough pedestal; manually operating any of the foregoing; automaticallyoperating any of the forgoing; driving an automatic apparatus usinghouse water pressure, or an electric motor, or a combination thereof;controlling operation of components using a controller that triggersevents based on timing, or sensors, or both, the timers includingelectronic, or mechanical timers, or any combination thereof; thesensors including dryness sensors, fluid level sensors, or anycombination thereof; flipping a bowl through slightly more than 90° toan unstable position, from which it falls to a stable position in whicha bowl is used; rotating the bowl under power into a proper position forthe next fill; rotating a plural bowl consistently in the samedirection, or reversing direction; using gears, cranks, links etc., toform the transmission from a flipping power source, to bowls to beflipped; using two bowls, or three or more; using the same source ofliquid to both flip and fill bowls, or different sources; a onebutton-push user interface to establish duration of bowl replenishment;using a single cycle, one valve controller to control bowl flip, filland wait functions; additional user interface features relating tolayout and sequence of instructions; using a linear actuator whoselinear motion is transduced into a rotary motion to rotate bowls aroundan axis; using a rotary actuator to rotate the bowls.

[0228] Some of the inventions disclosed herein are methods ofmaintaining a birdbath or animal water bowl free of contaminants or tominimize the presence of contaminants. Other inventions disclosed hereinare apparatus that can be used to maintain a birdbath free ofcontaminants, according to methods disclosed herein, or other methods,and can also be used without regard to whether contaminants are to beavoided or not. Certain of the apparatus are novel in their own right,whether or not they are used in a manner to minimize the development ofcontaminants. For instance, the mechanisms shown to flip and fill pluralbowls are novel and inventive regardless of whether they are used in amanner that minimizes contamination in a bowl. Other inventionsdisclosed herein are user interfaces for enabling a human user toconveniently set up an automatic bowl, as described, or a gardenwatering system. The techniques and apparatus described can also be usedto minimize contaminants in pet, farm and zoo water bowls and othercontainers.

[0229] More specifically, a method is disclosed herein for maintainingan animal water bowl. The method comprises the steps of: providing afirst bowl, having a concave surface; providing the first bowl withwater; allowing water to remain in the first bowl for use; at a timebefore any significant quantity of matter has become adhered to thefirst bowl surface, removing substantially all of the water from thefirst bowl; drying the surface of the first bowl so that it issubstantially dry; and repeating the steps of providing water, throughdrying, thereby enabling periodic use by an animal of the first bowl.The step of drying the first bowl surface may comprise allowing thefirst bowl to remain empty for a period of time sufficient for thesurface of the first bowl to dry off so that it is substantially dry.

[0230] The method may further be practiced with two bowls, so that onebowl is always available for use. Such method further comprises thesteps of: providing a second bowl; providing the second bowl with water;allowing water to remain in the second bowl for use; at a time beforeany significant quantity of matter has become adhered to the secondbowl, removing substantially all of the water from the second bowl;drying the second bowl surface so that it is substantially dry; andrepeating the steps of providing water, through drying, regarding thesecond bowl, thereby enabling periodic use by an animal of the secondbowl. The method further entails timing the steps of providing the firstbowl with water through drying the first bowl surface, relative to thesteps of providing the second bowl with water through drying the secondbowl surface, such that at substantially all times, at least one of thefirst and second bowls contains sufficient water for use by an animal.

[0231] The step of allowing water to remain in the first bowl for usemay be beneficially conducted substantially simultaneously with the stepof drying the second bowl surface, such that the first bowl is availablefor use while the second bowl surface is drying, and likewise withallowing water to remain in the second bowl while the first is drying.

[0232] The bowls may be of a configuration suitable for birds to bathein. Or, the bowls may be of a size and configuration suitable for ahousehold pet animal, such as a dog or a cat, to drink or eat from. Or,the bowls may be of a size and configuration suitable for a farm animalsuch as a cow, pig, horse, sheep, goat or chicken to drink or eat from.

[0233] The water can be removed from the bowl by tilting the bowl, or bydraining the bowl through a port that has a removable closure. Thedrying step can be accomplished by hanging the bowl at an incline sothat it dries. The bowl may be secured to a fixture by a hinge, with thedrying step comprising releasing the hinge to hang the first bowl fromthe hinge with the concave surface, facing angled away from upward.

[0234] The first and second bowls may be a pair of back-to-back bowls,with their respective concave surfaces facing away from each other.

[0235] It is further possible for the first and second bowls to comprisetwo of a plurality of bowls having a concave surface, the bowls arrangedwith their concave surfaces facing generally away from a common axis.The plurality may be two or more, for instance, three, four or five.

[0236] With such a plurality, for example, for purposes of discussion,three, it is advantageous to arrange the bowls to rotate together aboutthe common axis. The bowls are distributed around the axis, and areconfigured such that when one bowl has its concave surface facingupward, the combined three bowls with one filled, have a center ofgravity that is spaced laterally from the axis, such that if the bowlsare coupled to the axis free to rotate thereabout, and released torotate, the bowls will rotate together such that a second of the threebowls is brought to have its concave surface upward facing position, asthe first bowl tilts, and empties out any contained water. With such acombination, it is advantageous to provide the second bowl with waterafter the bowls have rotated together around the axis by an amountsufficient to advance the second bowl to a concave upward facingpositions. This offset center of gravity arrangement can be achievedwith two back-to-back facing bowls, or a plurality of three or morebowls.

[0237] A related embodiment disclosed herein is a method that uses twobowls. It comprises the steps of: providing a first bowl, having aconcave surface; providing the first bowl with water; allowing water toremain in the first bowl for animal use; at a time before anysignificant quantity of matter has become adhered to the first bowlsurface, removing substantially all of the water from the first bowl;allowing the first bowl to remain empty for a period of time sufficientfor the surface of the first bowl to dry off; and repeating the steps ofproviding water to the first bowl through allowing it to remain empty. Asecond bowl is provided, and the same steps of providing water toallowing the bowl to remain empty are conducted with respect to thesecond bowl. The steps regarding the first bowl of providing waterthrough allowing the first bowl surface to dry, are coordinated relativeto the same set of steps regarding the second bowl, such that atsubstantially all times, at least one of the first and second bowlscontains water for animal use.

[0238] The step of coordinating may be neatly accomplished by providingthe first and second bowls as a back-to-back facing bowl assembly, suchthat when the first bowl is concave surface facing upward, the secondbowl is concave facing downward, and vice versa. In such a case, theemptying may be accomplished by automatically flipping the bowl assemblywith an actuating assembly. The actuating assembly can be powered bywater pressure, or electrical power, or any other suitable power. Thebowl assembly can be automatically flipped using a timer.

[0239] Another embodiment disclosed herein is an animal water bowlapparatus, comprising: an axle, having an axis of elongation; and a bowlassembly, rotatable around the axis of elongation, comprising: a firstbowl, having a concave surface, coupled to the axle; and a second bowl,having a concave surface, arranged facing approximately 180° away fromthe concave surface of the first bowl, both the first and second bowlscoupled to the axle to face away from and to rotate around the axis. Theapparatus further comprises: an actuator, having a rest configurationand a couple for coupling the actuator to a power supply; a transmissionthat couples the actuator to the bowl assembly, to rotate the bowlassembly in a first, flipping direction; and a stop, configured to stopthe bowl assembly from rotating more than approximately 180 degrees. Thetransmission comprises a one-way clutch that couples the actuator to thebowl assembly, so that: the clutch locks and transmits torque to thebowl assembly when the actuator moves from the rest configuration to aworking configuration and applies torque to rotate the bowl assembly inthe first, flipping direction; and the clutch slips and transmitsessentially no torque to the bowl assembly when the actuator moves fromthe working configuration to the rest configuration so that the bowlassembly is free to rotate relative to the clutch. The apparatus alsocomprises a return element, coupled to the actuator to return theactuator to the starting configuration.

[0240] The couple may be suitable for coupling to a hydraulic pressuresupply, for instance, a building water pressure network, such as a home.

[0241] With a particular embodiment, the bowl assembly is furtherconfigured to continue to rotate in the first, flipping direction, afterthe bowl assembly has rotated slightly more than approximately 90degrees.

[0242] The stop may comprise a cam assembly having a cam follower and acam surface, configured to interfere with each other to prevent rotationof the bowl assembly beyond 180 degrees when no torque is transmitted bythe clutch. The stop may also comprise a spring loaded catch assembly.

[0243] If a cam assembly is used, a cam surface may comprise, asubstantially planar surface, and the cam follower may comprise twospaced apart bearing surfaces. The cam surface may comprise a U-shapedsurface portion with two spaced apart substantially planar terminalsurface portions on either side of the U-shaped portion. The camfollower may comprise a roller cam with two spaced apart rollers. Or, itmay comprise a sliding bearing with two spaced apart sliding followerposts.

[0244] Another embodiment of the water bowl assembly further comprises alinear bearing, coupled to a first end of the axle. The linear bearingis configured to permit the first end of the axle to translatesubstantially perpendicular to the axis. This embodiment also mayfurther have a loose rotary bearing, coupled to a second end of theaxle. The loose rotary bearing is configured to permit the first end ofthe axle to translate substantially perpendicular to the axis, while thesecond end of the axle remains translationally substantially stationary,relative to the axis. The loose bearing may also be referred to as awobbly bearing.

[0245] An embodiment of a water bowl has a transducer comprising ahydraulic cylinder and piston with a rod, coupled to a crank. The crankis coupled between the piston rod and the bowl assembly such that motionof the piston rod relative to the cylinder rotates the bowl assemblyaround the axis.

[0246] A water bowl may further comprise, coupled to the bowl assembly,a cam assembly that is stable against rotation, in only two rotarypositions of the bowl assembly, each stable position corresponding toone of the two bowls being positioned concave surface facing upward.Such a cam assembly and bowl assembly may be configured to fall freely,after the bowl assembly has rotated from a first stable configurationthrough an action angle that is slightly greater than 90 degrees, to asecond of the two stable configurations. The action angle may comprisebetween approximately 91 degrees and approximately 110 degrees, andpreferably, between approximately 95 degrees and approximately 100degrees.

[0247] An embodiment of a water bowl may have a combined cam assemblyand bowl assembly that are together characterized by a center ofgravity, positioned such that as the bowl assembly rotates around theaxis through an action angle of slightly greater than approximately 90degrees, the cam assembly pivots, and lifts the center of gravity untilthe center of gravity is above a first of its two ends, and offset fromvertical above the first of two ends in a direction that provides torqueto the bowl assembly to rotate it in the first direction.

[0248] A bowl assembly can comprise as the transducer a rotary hydraulicactuator, coupled to the bowl assembly, such that energization of therotary hydraulic actuator rotates the bowl assembly around the axis. Asuitable rotary hydraulic actuator may comprise: a vane, coupled to thebowl assembly; and a housing having a semi-cylindrical open chamber,having a hydraulic supply port and a hydraulic outlet port, spaced apartwithin the open chamber at least approximately 90°. The vane may beconfigured to travel from a first position adjacent the supply port,which corresponds to the rest configuration of the actuator, to a stop,beyond the outlet port, and then to return to the rest position. It isadvantageous for the outlet port to be coupled to a conduit arranged toconduct water into the water bowl after the bowl assembly has rotatedthrough the approximately 180°.

[0249] Also disclosed herein is a bowl assembly, comprising: a pluralityof at least two bowls, each having a concave surface, the bowls arrangedwith their concave surfaces facing generally away from an axis; a couplethat couples the bowls rotatably to an axle arranged so that the bowlsrotate together about the common axis, and a releasable catch, which,when engaged, restrains the plurality of bowls in a fixed rotationalposition, with one of the bowls concave surface facing upward. The bowlsare further configured and arranged, such that when one bowl is concavesurface facing upward, the other at least one bowls are distributedaround the axis, such that when the upward facing bowl contains water,the combined bowls have a center of gravity that is spaced laterallyfrom the axis, such that when the catch releases the bowls, allowingthem to rotate about the axis, the bowls rotate together such that asecond bowl is brought to a concave surface upward facing position, asthe first bowl tilts, and empties out the contained water. The pluralitymay be two, three, four, five or more bowls. The catch may be a springloaded pin catch, a cam surface and a cam follower assembly, or anyother suitable catch.

[0250] An animal water bowl is further disclosed, comprising: an axle,having an axis of elongation; and a bowl assembly, rotatable around theaxis of elongation. The bowl assembly comprises: a first bowl, having aconcave surface, coupled to the axle; a second bowl, arranged facingapproximately 180° away from the first bowl, both bowls coupled to theaxle to face away from and to rotate around the axis. A couple isconfigured to couple a power supply to an actuator. The actuator has arest configuration. A transmission couples the actuator to the bowlassembly. The transmission is configured to: tip a first end of the axleupward, relative to a second end of the axle, such that the axle and thebowl assembly moves from a substantially horizontal rest position thatcorresponds to the rest configuration of the actuator, toward a morevertical position; rotate the bowl assembly around the axis, such thatthe first bowl surface moves from concave surface facing upward, toconcave surface facing downward; and tip the first end of the axledownward, relative to the second end of the axle, such that the bowlassembly and the axle moves from the more vertical position back to thesubstantially horizontal rest position.

[0251] The transmission may be configured to rotate the bowl assemblyaround the axis at the same time as the transmission tips the first endof the axle upward. Or it may be configured to rotate the bowl assemblyaround the axis after the time that the transmission tips the first endof the axle upward.

[0252] With the serial version, the actuator has a range of travel fromthe rest configuration to an intermediate configuration. It is coupledto the transmission such that as the actuator moves to the intermediateconfiguration, the transmission tips the first end of the axle upward.The assembly further comprises a switch that is switched when theactuator reaches the intermediate configuration to conduct power to asecond actuator that is part of the transmission, and which, whenactuated, rotates the bowl assembly around the axis.

[0253] When used with a hydraulic system, an appropriate couple is onesuitable for coupling the actuator to a pressurized water supply, theswitch comprising a hydraulic valve, and both the first and secondactuators comprising hydraulic actuators.

[0254] Or, the couple may be one suitable for coupling to an electricpower supply.

[0255] A specific embodiment may have a transmission comprising a bellcrank coupled at a first end to the actuator, and at a second end to thebowl assembly, such that the bowl assembly tips upward as the crankpivots around a pivot axis. The transmission may comprise a gearassembly, for instance, a bevel gear assembly, coupled to the axle, suchthat as the axle tips upward, gears of the gear assembly interact andcauses the bowl assembly to rotate about the axle axis.

[0256] In many embodiments, the transmission further comprises a one-wayclutch, coupling the bowl assembly and the actuator, such that after thebowl assembly has begun to tip downward, and as the actuator returns tothe rest configuration, the clutch slips and the bowl assembly remainsrotated with the first bowl surface concave surface facing downward.

[0257] Stated alternatively, the transmission may further comprise a oneway clutch, coupling the bowl assembly and the actuator such that theclutch locks to prevent rotation of the bowl assembly in a firstdirection relative to the actuator, and slips to permit rotation of thebowl assembly in a second direction relative to the actuator.

[0258] The actuator may advantageously comprise a hydraulic cylinder andpiston assembly. The hydraulic cylinder may be arranged such that thepiston travels along a path that is between horizontal and 45° tohorizontal, or, between vertical and 45° to vertical. A bowl watersupply port is provided for filling the bowl with water. Such a supplyport can be a bowl fill outlet within a piston cylinder arranged todirect water into a concave upward facing bowl surface. A control valve,can be provided and configured to direct water to the cylinder toactuate the transmission and rotate the bowl assembly, and also todirect water to the bowl fill outlet, which directs water to fill theconcave upward facing bowl of the bowl assembly. The control valve canbe configured to conduct water from a supply first to the cylinder andsubsequently to block water to the cylinder and instead to direct waterfrom the supply to the bowl fill outlet. It may constitute aself-latching valve, specifically, a spool valve.

[0259] An overall controller is typically provided. It may comprise: aduration memory element; a period timer; and a power on/off switch,coupled to the period timer to turn on water to the actuator at periodictimes, to maintain the water provided for a duration of time embodied inthe duration memory element and to cut off water after the duration hasexpired. The duration memory element embodies a duration that issufficient to empty the bowl of water by rotating the bowl assemblyabout the axis approximately 180°, to return it to a rest position andto provide the concave upward facing bowl with water for the animal use.The duration memory element may be electronic, or mechanical, orelectromechanical. It preferably comprises an element in which theduration is settable by explicitly activating the power on/off switch toturn on the hydraulic power to the actuator, and then explicitlyactivating the on/off switch to turn off the hydraulic power to theactuator, after the actuator has rotated the bowl about the axisapproximately 180° and after the concave upward facing bowl has beenprovided with sufficient water for the animal use.

[0260] Also disclosed herein is a bowl assembly further comprising acontroller, a period timer, a duration memory element, and a poweron/off switch, wherein the duration memory element embodies a durationthat is settable by explicitly activating the power on/off switch toturn on the hydraulic power to the actuator, waiting for the actuator torotate the bowl around the axis approximately 180° and waiting for theconcave upward facing bowl to be provided with sufficient water for theanimal use, and then explicitly activating the on/off switch to turn offthe hydraulic power to the actuator. The duration is equal to the totalduration to rotate the bowl and to provide sufficient water. Theduration memory element is set with the duration as a result of theexplicit activations of the power on/off switch, and the power on/offswitch further is coupled to the periodic timer and the duration memoryelement, to turn power on at periodic times and to maintain the power onfor the duration, and no longer.

[0261] With all embodiments disclosed herein, the configuration can besuitable for animal use including, bird bathing, domestic pet animalwatering, and farm animal watering.

[0262] A related embodiment disclosed herein is a user interface for ananimal water bowl comprising: a water supply inlet; a water supplyoutlet; and a valve that couples the water supply inlet to the watersupply outlet. The interface also includes: a period timer memory; aduration memory element; a user duration set switch; and a controllerthat is coupled to the user duration set switch. The valve, period timermemory the duration memory element, and the controller are operative to:set the duration memory element to a duration equal to a duration that auser maintains the user input switch in a duration set configuration;open the valve to connect the water supply inlet to the water supplyoutlet at periodic times stored by the period timer memory; maintain thevalve open for the duration set on the duration memory element; andclose the valve at the expiration of the duration.

[0263] The user duration set switch of such an interface may comprise abutton that has a rest position and an activation position, and thatrequires the application of continuous force to stay in the activationposition. Or, it may be a switch that has an on position and an offposition, and that requires an explicit user action to move the switchfrom the off position to the on position and from the on position to theoff position.

[0264] The user interface may further comprise a period indicator, thatis selectably movable between a plurality of positions, each of whichcorrelates to a different period of time, and is differentiable from theothers, the controller being coupled to set the period timer memory tothe period of time indicated by the period indicator.

[0265] The user interface, further may comprise: a faucet fitting; aconduit having an inlet, coupled to the faucet fitting and two outlets,one of which is coupled to the water supply inlet; a hose fittingcoupled to the other of the two conduit outlets; and a valve, situatedwithin the conduit. The valve is arranged such that when set to a firstconfiguration, the faucet fitting is hydraulically coupled to both thehose fitting and the water supply inlet, and when set to a secondconfiguration, the faucet fitting is hydraulically coupled only to thewater supply inlet and not to the hose fitting.

[0266] With a slightly different focus, also disclosed herein is a bowlsystem, comprising: a bowl assembly, having a body portion and twooppositely facing bowl surfaces, each bowl having a concave surface thatfaces away from the concave surface of the other bowl by approximately180°, the bowl assembly characterized by a center of gravity; an axle,having an axis of elongation; and a one way clutch. The clutch iscoupled to the axle and to the bowl assembly such that: forcing the axleto rotate in a first direction, relative to the bowl assembly, locks theclutch and torque is transmitted from the axle through the clutch to thebowl assembly, such that the bowl assembly is also forced to rotate inthe first direction; and forcing the axle to rotate opposite the firstdirection slips the clutch, and essentially no torque is transmittedfrom the axle, through the clutch, to the bowl assembly. The bowlassembly also includes a cam assembly comprising: a cam followerelement, coupled to rotate with the bowl assembly around the axle, thecam follower element having a first bearing region and a second bearingregion; and a cam surface that remains fixed relative to the rotation ofthe bowl assembly. The cam surface is shaped, and the cam followers arearranged, such that: during rotation of the bowl assembly in the firstdirection from an orientation with one of the bowls concave surfacefacing upward, gravity acts on the center of gravity to apply a torqueupon the bowl assembly opposite the first direction; rotation of theaxle in the first direction forces the bowl assembly to rotate with theaxle, and forces a first of the cam follower bearing regions to movealong the cam surface, such that the center of gravity of the bowlassembly rises to a maximum height, while being supported in part by thefirst of the follower bearing regions resting upon the cam surface, andin part by the axle, through the clutch; and further rotation of theaxle in the first direction causes the bowl assembly to rotate, suchthat the center of gravity moves beyond a point where gravity pulls thebowl assembly to rotate in the first direction, to a point where theclutch slips, the bowl assembly is no longer supported by the axle, andthe center of gravity of the bowl assembly and cam assembly falls untilboth the bearing regions rest upon the cam surface.

[0267] The first and second cam bearing surfaces may each comprise acylindrical surface, which may be either a roller, or a non-rollingelement. If non-rolling, the cam bearing surfaces may comprisecylindrical end surfaces of a unitary oblong bearing element.

[0268] The bowl assembly may further comprise a linear bearing, adjacentthe cam follower element, coupled to the axle so that the axle cantranslate vertically at one end.

[0269] A hydraulically powered water bowl assembly for animal use isdisclosed. The bowl assembly comprises: a bowl assembly support; anassembly of at least two bowls, each bowl having a concave surface, theconcave surfaces arranged to face generally away from each other, thebowl assembly supported by the support. There is also a couple suitableto couple to a supply of pressurized water, the couple comprising onlyone output valve. A user input device, has a dual position on/offcontrol element, which is settable by a user to an on position for aduration, and then settable to an off position. A controller is coupledto the user input device. The controller has a duration memory elementthat maintains memory of the duration, based on a duration that a usersets the control to the on position, and which is coupled to the outputvalve and is operative to maintain the output valve open for theduration. A hydraulic actuator is coupled to the water output valve andto a transmission that is coupled to the bowl assembly. The actuator andthe transmission are configured to operate during the duration underpower of water from the output valve, to move the bowl assembly suchthat a first bowl concave surface is moved from facing upward to facingnot upward, so that any contained water is poured out, and such that asecond bowl concave surface is moved from facing not upward to facingupward, and further such that the second bowl concave surface is filledwith water, also from the output valve.

[0270] Yet another embodiment disclosed herein is an animal water bowlcomprising: a bowl assembly, having a body portion and two oppositelyfacing bowls, each bowl having a concave surface that faces away fromthe concave surface of the other bowl at approximately 180°; a supportconfigured to support the bowl assembly with a first of the bowlsurfaces facing upward, capable of holding water, and the second of thebowl surfaces facing downward, such that substantially no water remainsin the second bowl surface and the second bowl surface can dry; and abowl retainer, configured to couple the bowl assembly to the supportsuch that the bowl assembly is releasably retained with a first of thesurfaces facing upward for a period of time, and subsequently releasableand releasably retained with the second of the surfaces facing upwardfor a period of time.

[0271] The bowl retainer may comprise an axle that rotatably couples thebowl assembly to the support. Or the bowl retainer may comprise matinggeometries on the bowl assembly and the support that releasably engageeach other and prevent lateral movement of the bowl assembly relative tothe support. For instance, either the concave surface, or the supportmay comprise a concave surface that mates with a post in the other.

[0272] The water bowl may also comprise a releasable stop thatreleasably stops the bowl assembly at two positions that areapproximately 180° apart from each other, each position characterized bya different one of the surfaces facing upward, and the other of thesurfaces facing downward.

[0273] The water bowl as described immediately above, may furthercomprise: an actuator, coupled to the bowl assembly to move the bowlassembly from an orientation with a first of the surfaces facing upwardto an orientation with the second of the surfaces facing upward and thento an orientation with the first of the surfaces facing upward; and acontroller, coupled to the actuator, configured to couple the actuatorto a source of power at periodic times The controller is coupled toautomatically: move the bowl assembly from the orientation with thefirst of the surfaces facing upward to the orientation with the secondof the surfaces facing upward; and maintain the bowl assembly with thefirst of the surfaces facing upward for a duration of time.

[0274] The controller is very advantageously configured to couple theactuator to the source of power without human intervention, after humanoperator set up.

[0275] The water bowl may further include: a couple to couple thecontroller to a source of water; a conduit coupled to the controller,the conduit arranged to direct water into an upward facing surface; anda valve coupled to the controller, the controller operative to cause thevalve to open at periodic times, for the duration, thereby coupling thesource of water to the conduit, and through the conduit, to the upwardfacing surface. The controller is configured to couple the actuator tothe source of power, typically pressurized water, and to open and closethe valve, without human intervention, after human operator set up.

[0276] This disclosure describes and discloses more than one invention.The inventions are set forth in the claims of this and relateddocuments, not only as filed, but also as developed during prosecutionof any patent application based on this disclosure. The inventors intendto claim the various inventions to the limits permitted by the priorart, as it is subsequently determined to be. No feature described hereinis essential to each invention disclosed herein. Thus, the inventorsintend that no features described herein, but not claimed in anyparticular claim of any patent based on this disclosure, should beincorporated into any such claim.

[0277] An abstract is submitted herewith. It is emphasized that thisabstract is being provided to comply with the rule requiring an abstractthat will allow examiners and other searchers to quickly ascertain thesubject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with theunderstanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scopeor meaning of the claims, as promised by the Patent Office's rule.

[0278] The foregoing discussion should be understood as illustrative andshould not be considered to be limiting in any sense. While theinventions have been particularly shown and described with references topreferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled inthe art that various changes in form and details may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions as definedby the claims.

[0279] The corresponding structures, materials, acts and equivalents ofall means or step plus function elements in the claims below areintended to include any structure, material, or acts for performing thefunctions in combination with other claimed elements as specificallyclaimed.

Having described the inventions, what is claimed is:
 1. A method formaintaining an animal water bowl, said method, comprising the steps of:a. providing a first bowl, having a concave surface; b. providing saidfirst bowl with water; c. allowing water to remain in said first bowlfor use; d. at a time before any significant quantity of matter hasbecome adhered to said first bowl surface, removing substantially all ofsaid water from said first bowl; e. drying said surface of said firstbowl so that it is substantially dry; and f. repeating said steps b,providing water, through e, drying, thereby enabling periodic use by ananimal of said first bowl.
 2. The method of claim 1, said step of dryingsaid first bowl surface comprising the step of allowing said first bowlto remain empty for a period of time sufficient for said surface of saidfirst bowl to dry off so that it is substantially dry.
 3. The method ofclaim 2, further comprising: a. the steps of: i. providing a secondbowl, having a concave surface; ii. providing said second bowl withwater; iii. allowing water to remain in said second bowl for use; iv. ata time before any significant quantity of matter has become adhered tosaid second bowl surface, removing substantially all of said water fromsaid second bowl; v. drying said second bowl surface so that it issubstantially dry; and vi. repeating said steps, ii, providing water,through v, drying, regarding said second bowl, thereby enabling periodicuse by an animal of said second bowl; b. timing said steps: b, providingsaid first bowl with water through e, drying said first bowl surface,relative to said sub-steps a. ii., providing said second bowl with waterthrough a. v., drying said second bowl surface, such that atsubstantially all times, at least one of said first and second bowlscontains sufficient water for use by an animal.
 4. The method of claim3, said bowls being of a configuration suitable for birds to bathe in.5. The method of claim 3, said bowls being of a size and configurationsuitable for a household pet animal selected from the group consistingof: dog and cat, to drink water from.
 6. The method of claim 3, saidbowls being of a size and configuration suitable for a farm animalselected from the group consisting of: cow, pig, horse, sheep, goat andchicken to drink water from.
 7. The method of claim 3, said step ofremoving said water from said first bowl, comprising tilting said firstbowl enough to pour out said water.
 8. The method of claim 3, said stepof removing said water from said first bowl comprising opening a port insaid first bowl located such that when opened, water empties out throughsaid port.
 9. The method of claim 3, said step of drying comprisinghanging said first bowl at an incline, such that said first bowl drainsand said first bowl surface dries.
 10. The method of claim 3, said firstbowl being secured to a fixture by a hinge, with said concave surfacefacing upward, said step of drying comprising releasing said hinge tohang said first bowl from said hinge with said concave surface, facingangled away from upward.
 11. The method of claim 3, said first andsecond bowls comprising a pair of back-to-back bowls, with theirrespective concave surfaces facing away from each other.
 12. The methodof claim 3, said step of allowing water to remain in said first bowl foruse being conducted substantially simultaneously with said step ofdrying said second bowl surface, such that said first bowl is availablefor use while said second bowl surface is drying.
 13. The method ofclaim 12, said step of allowing water to remain in said second bowl foruse being conducted substantially simultaneously with said step ofdrying said first bowl surface such that said second bowl is availablefor use while said first bowl surface is drying.
 14. The method of claim3, said first and second bowls comprising two of a plurality of bowlshaving a concave surface, said bowls arranged with their concavesurfaces facing generally away from a common axis.
 15. The method ofclaim 14, said plurality of at least two bowls comprising three bowls.16. The method of claim 15, said plurality of three bowls arranged torotate together about said common axis, and such that when one bowl hasits concave surface facing upward, said other two bowls are distributedaround said axis, said bowls configured such that the combined threebowls have a center of gravity that is spaced laterally from said axis,such that if said bowls are coupled to said axis free to rotatethereabout, and released to rotate, said bowls will rotate together suchthat a second of said three bowls is brought to have its concave surfaceupward facing position, as said first bowl tilts, and empties out anycontained water.
 17. The method of claim 16, said step of providing saidsecond bowl with water being conducted after said bowls have rotatedtogether around said axis by an amount sufficient to advance said secondbowl to a concave upward facing positions.
 18. The method of claim 11,said back-to-back bowls arranged to rotate together about a common axis,and arranged such that when one bowl is concave facing upward, saidother of said bowls is concave surface facing downward on the oppositeside of said axis, said bowls configured such that when said concaveupward facing bowl contains water, the combined two bowls have a centerof gravity that is offset laterally from said axis such that if saidbowls are coupled to said axis free to rotate thereabout, and releasedto rotate, said bowls will rotate together such that said other of saidtwo bowls is brought to a concave surface facing upward position, assaid first bowl tilts, and empties out said contained water.
 19. Amethod for maintaining an animal water bowl, said method, comprising thesteps of: a. providing a first bowl, having a concave surface; b.providing said first bowl with water; c. allowing water to remain insaid first bowl for animal use; d. at a time before any significantquantity of matter has become adhered to said first bowl surface,removing substantially all of said water from said first bowl; e.allowing said first bowl to remain empty for a period of time sufficientfor said surface of said first bowl to dry off; f. repeating said stepsb, providing water, through e, allowing to remain empty; g. providing asecond bowl, having a concave surface; h. providing said second bowlwith water; i. allowing water to remain in said second bowl for animaluse; j. at a time before any significant quantity of matter has becomeadhered to said second bowl surface, removing substantially all of saidwater from said second bowl; k. allowing said second bowl to remainempty for a period of time sufficient for said surface of said secondbowl to dry off; l. repeating said steps, h, providing water, through k,drying, regarding said second bowl; and m. coordinating said stepsregarding said first bowl: b, providing water to said first bowl,through e, allowing said first bowl surface to dry, relative to saidsteps regarding said second bowl: h, providing water to said second bowlthrough k, drying said second bowl surface, such that at substantiallyall times, at least one of said first and second bowls contains waterfor animal use.
 20. The method of claim 19, said step of coordinatingcomprising providing said first and second bowls as a back-to-backfacing bowl assembly, such that when said first bowl is concave surfacefacing upward, said second bowl is concave facing downward, and suchthat when said second bowl is concave surface facing upward, said firstbowl is concave facing downward.
 21. The method of claim 20, furthercomprising the step of automatically flipping said bowl assembly with anactuating assembly.
 22. The method of claim 21, further comprising thestep of powering said actuating assembly by water pressure power. 23.The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of powering saidactuating assembly by electrical power.
 24. The method of claim 22, saidstep of automatically flipping comprising initiating said action of saidactuating assembly with a timer.
 25. An animal water bowl comprising: a.an axle, having an axis of elongation; b. a bowl assembly, rotatablearound said axis of elongation, comprising: i. a first bowl, having aconcave surface, coupled to said axle; ii. a second bowl, having aconcave surface, arranged facing approximately 180° away from saidconcave surface of said first bowl, both said first and second bowlscoupled to said axle to face away from and to rotate around said axis;c. an actuator, having a rest configuration and a couple for couplingsaid actuator to a power supply; d. a transmission that couples saidactuator to said bowl assembly, to rotate said bowl assembly in a first,flipping direction; e. a stop, configured to stop said bowl assemblyfrom rotating more than approximately 180 degrees; f. said transmissioncomprising a one-way clutch that couples said actuator to said bowlassembly, so that: i. the clutch locks and transmits torque to said bowlassembly when said actuator moves from said rest configuration to aworking configuration and applies torque to rotate said bowl assembly insaid first, flipping direction; and ii. the clutch slips and transmitsessentially no torque to said bowl assembly when said actuator movesfrom said working configuration to said rest configuration so that saidbowl assembly is free to rotate relative to said clutch; and g. a returnelement, coupled to said actuator to return said actuator to saidstarting configuration.
 26. The water bowl of claim 25, said couplecomprising a couple suitable for coupling to a hydraulic pressuresupply.
 27. The water bowl of claim 26, said couple comprising a couplesuitable for coupling to a building water pressure network.
 28. Thewater bowl of claim 25, said bowl assembly further configured tocontinue to rotate in said first, flipping direction, after said bowlassembly has rotated slightly more than approximately 90 degrees. 29.The water bowl of claim 25, said stop comprising a cam assembly having acam follower and a cam surface, configured to interfere with each otherto prevent rotation of said bowl assembly beyond 180 degrees when notorque is transmitted by said clutch.
 30. The water bowl of claim 25,said stop comprising a spring loaded catch assembly.
 31. The water bowlof claim 29, said cam surface comprising a substantially planar surface,and said cam follower comprising two spaced apart bearing surfaces. 32.The water bowl of claim 29, said cam surface comprising a U-shapedsurface portion with two spaced apart substantially planar terminalsurface portions on either side of said U-shaped portion.
 33. The waterbowl of claim 29, said cam follower comprising a roller cam with twospaced apart rollers.
 34. The water bowl of claim 29, further comprisinga linear bearing, coupled to a first end of said axle, said linearbearing configured to permit said first end of said axle to translatesubstantially perpendicular to said axis.
 35. The water bowl of claim34, further comprising a loose rotary bearing, coupled to a second endof said axle, said loose rotary bearing configured to permit said firstend of said axle to translate substantially perpendicular to said axis,while said second end of said axle remains translationally substantiallystationary, relative to said axis.
 36. The water bowl of claim 25, saidtransducer comprising a hydraulic cylinder and piston with a rod,coupled to a crank, said crank being coupled between said piston rod andsaid bowl assembly, and such that motion of said piston rod relative tosaid cylinder rotates said bowl assembly around said axis.
 37. The waterbowl of claim 25, further comprising, coupled to said bowl assembly, acam assembly that is stable against rotation, in only two rotarypositions of said bowl assembly, each stable position corresponding toone of said two bowls being positioned concave surface facing upward.38. The water bowl of claim 37, said cam assembly and bowl assemblyconfigured to fall freely, after said bowl assembly has rotated from afirst stable configuration through an action angle that is slightlygreater than 90 degrees, to a second of said two stable configurations.39. The water bowl of claim 38, said action angle comprising betweenapproximately 91 degrees and approximately 110 degrees.
 40. The waterbowl of claim 39, action angle comprising between approximately 95degrees and approximately 100 degrees.
 41. The water bowl of claim 37,said combined cam assembly and bowl assembly together characterized by acenter of gravity, positioned such that as said bowl assembly rotatesaround said axis an action angle of slightly greater than approximately90 degrees, said cam assembly pivots, and lifts said center of gravityuntil said center of gravity is above a first of its two ends, andoffset from vertical above said first of two ends in a direction thatprovides torque to said bowl assembly to rotate it in said firstdirection.
 42. The water bowl of claim 25, said transducer comprising arotary hydraulic actuator, coupled to said bowl assembly, such thatenergization of said rotary hydraulic actuator rotates said bowlassembly around said axis.
 43. The water bowl of claim 42, said rotaryhydraulic actuator comprising: a. a vane, coupled to said bowl assembly;b. a housing having a semi-cylindrical open chamber, having a hydraulicsupply port and a hydraulic outlet port, spaced apart within said openchamber at least approximately 90°, said vane configured to travel froma first position adjacent said supply port, which corresponds to saidrest configuration of said actuator, to a stop, beyond said outlet port,and then to return to said rest position.
 44. The water bowl of claim43, said outlet port coupled to a conduit arranged to conduct water intosaid water bowl after said bowl assembly has rotated through saidapproximately 180°.
 45. A bowl assembly, comprising: a. a plurality ofat least two bowls, each having a concave surface, said bowls arrangedwith their concave surfaces facing generally away from an axis; b. acouple that couples said bowls rotatably to an axle arranged so thatsaid bowls rotate together about said common axis, c. a releasablecatch, which, when engaged, restrains said plurality of bowls in a fixedrotational position, with one of said bowls concave surface facingupward; d. said bowls further configured and arranged, such that whenone bowl is concave surface facing upward, said other at least one bowlsare distributed around said axis, such that when said concave upwardfacing bowl contains water, the combined at least two bowls have acenter of gravity that is spaced laterally from said axis, such thatwhen said catch releases said bowls allowing them to rotate about saidaxis, said bowls rotate together such that a second of said at least twobowls is brought to a concave surface upward facing position, as saidfirst bowl tilts, and empties out said contained water.
 46. The bowlassembly of claim 45, said plurality comprising three bowls.
 47. Thebowl assembly of claim 45, said plurality comprising four bowls.
 48. Thebowl assembly of claim 45, said plurality comprising five bowls.
 49. Thebowl assembly of claim 45, said catch comprising spring loaded pincatch.
 50. The bowl assembly of claim 45, said catch comprising a camsurface and mating cam follower assembly.
 51. The bowl assembly of claim50, said cam follower assembly comprising a spring loaded cam followerassembly.
 52. An animal water bowl comprising: a. an axle, having anaxis of elongation; b. a bowl assembly, rotatable around said axis ofelongation, comprising: i. a first bowl, having a concave surface,coupled to said axle; ii. a second bowl, having a concave surface,arranged facing approximately 180° away from said concave surface ofsaid first bowl, both said first and second bowls coupled to said axleto face away from and to rotate around said axis; c. an actuator, havinga rest configuration and a couple for coupling said actuator to a powersupply; d. a transmission that couples said actuator to said bowlassembly, said transmission configured to: i. tip a first end of saidaxle upward, relative to a second end of said axle, such that said axleand said bowl assembly moves from a substantially horizontal restposition that corresponds to said rest configuration of said actuator,toward a more vertical position; ii. rotate said bowl assembly aroundsaid axis, such that said first bowl surface moves from concave surfacefacing upward, to concave surface facing downward; and iii. tip saidfirst end of said axle downward, relative to said second end of saidaxle, such that said bowl assembly and said axle moves from said morevertical position back to said substantially horizontal rest position.53. The water bowl of claim 52, said transmission configured to rotatesaid bowl assembly around said axis at the same time as saidtransmission tips said first end of said axle upward.
 54. The water bowlof claim 52, said transmission configured to rotate said bowl assemblyaround said axis after the time that said transmission tips said firstend of said axle upward.
 55. The water bowl of claim 54, said actuatorhaving a range of travel from said rest configuration to an intermediateconfiguration, coupled to said transmission such that as said actuatormoves to said intermediate configuration, said transmission tips saidfirst end of said axle upward; and comprising a switch that is switchedwhen said actuator reaches said intermediate configuration to conductpower to a second actuator that is part of said transmission, and which,is operative to rotate said bowl assembly around said axis.
 56. Thewater bowl of claim 55, said couple comprising a couple suitable forcoupling said actuator to a pressurized water supply, said switchcomprising a hydraulic valve, and both said first and second actuatorscomprising hydraulic actuators.
 57. The water bowl of claim 52, saidcouple comprising a couple suitable for coupling said actuator to a anelectric power supply.
 58. The water bowl of claim 52, said transmissioncomprising a bell crank coupled at a first end to said actuator, and ata second end to said bowl assembly, such that said bowl assembly tipsupward as said crank pivots around a pivot axis.
 59. The water bowl ofclaim 58, said transmission comprising a gear assembly, coupled to saidaxle, such that as said axle tips upward, gears of said gear assemblyinteract and causes said bowl assembly to rotate about said axle axis.60. The water bowl of claim 52, said gear assembly comprising a bevelgear assembly.
 61. The water bowl of claim 52, said transmission furthercomprising a one-way clutch, coupling said bowl assembly and saidactuator, such that after said bowl assembly has begun to tip downward,and as said actuator returns to said rest configuration, said clutchslips and said bowl assembly remains rotated with said first bowlsurface concave surface facing downward.
 62. The water bowl of claim 52,said transmission further comprising a one way clutch, coupling saidbowl assembly and said actuator such that said clutch locks to preventrotation of said bowl assembly in a first direction relative to saidactuator, and slips to permit rotation of said bowl assembly in a seconddirection relative to said actuator.
 63. The water bowl of claim 52,said actuator comprising a hydraulic cylinder and piston assembly. 64.The water bowl of claim 63, said hydraulic cylinder arranged such thatsaid piston travels along a path that is between horizontal and 45° tohorizontal.
 65. The water bowl of claim 63, said hydraulic cylinderarranged such that said piston travels such that it travels along a paththat is between vertical, and 45° to vertical.
 66. The water bowl ofclaim 63, further comprising a bowl water supply port for filling saidbowl with water.
 67. The water bowl of claim 63, said hydraulic cylinderand piston assembly comprising a water supply inlet, and a bowl filloutlet, and a control valve, said bowl fill outlet arranged to directwater into a concave upward facing bowl surface, said control valveconfigured to direct water to said cylinder to actuate said transmissionand rotate said bowl assembly, and also to direct water to said bowlfill outlet, which directs water to fill said concave upward facing bowlof said bowl assembly.
 68. The water bowl of claim 67, said controlvalve configured to conduct water from a supply first to said cylinderand subsequently to block water to said cylinder and instead to directwater from said supply to said bowl fill outlet.
 69. The water bowl ofclaim 68, said control valve comprising a self-latching valve.
 70. Thewater bowl of claim 68, said control valve comprising a self-latchingspool valve.
 71. The water bowl of claim 64, further comprising anoverall controller comprising: a. a duration memory element; b. a periodtimer; and c. a power on/off switch, coupled to said period timer toturn on water to said actuator at periodic times, to maintain said waterprovided for a duration of time embodied in said duration memory elementand to cut off water after said duration has expired.
 72. The water bowlof claim 71, further wherein said duration memory element embodies aduration that is sufficient to empty said bowl of water by rotating saidbowl assembly about said axis approximately 180°, to return it to a restposition and to provide said concave upward facing bowl with water forsaid animal use.
 73. The water bowl of claim 72, said duration memoryelement comprising an element in which the duration is settable byexplicitly activating said power on/off switch to turn on said hydraulicpower to said actuator, and then explicitly activating said on/offswitch to turn off said hydraulic power to said actuator, after saidactuator has rotated said bowl about said axis approximately 180° andafter said concave upward facing bowl has been provided with sufficientwater for said animal use.
 74. The water bowl of claim 67, furthercomprising a controller, a period timer, a duration memory element, anda power on/off switch, wherein said duration memory element embodies aduration that is settable by explicitly activating said power on/offswitch to turn on said hydraulic power to said actuator, waiting forsaid actuator to rotate said bowl around said axis approximately 180°and waiting for said concave upward facing bowl to be provided withsufficient water for said animal use, and then explicitly activatingsaid on/off switch to turn off said hydraulic power to said actuator,said duration being equal to said total duration to rotate said bowl andto provide sufficient water, and said duration memory element being setwith said duration as a result of said explicit activations of saidpower on/off switch, and said power on/off switch further being coupledto said periodic timer and said duration memory element, to turn poweron at periodic times and to maintain said power on for said duration,and no longer.
 75. The water bowl of claim 52, said animal usecomprising bird bathing.
 76. The water bowl of claim 52, said animal usecomprising domestic pet watering.
 77. The water bowl of claim 52, saidanimal use comprising farm animal watering.
 78. A user interface for ananimal water bowl comprising: a. a water supply inlet; b. a water supplyoutlet; c. a valve that couples said water supply inlet to said watersupply outlet; d. a period timer memory; e. a duration memory element;f. a user duration set switch; g. a controller that is coupled to saiduser duration set switch, said valve, said period timer memory and saidduration memory element, said controller operative to: i. set theduration memory element to a duration equal to a duration that a usermaintains said user input switch in a duration set configuration; ii.open said valve to connect said water supply inlet to said water supplyoutlet at periodic times stored by said period timer memory; iii.maintain said valve open for said duration set on said duration memoryelement; and iv. close said valve at the expiration of said duration.79. The user interface of claim 78, said user duration set switchcomprising a button that has a rest position and an activation position,and that requires the application of continuous force to stay in saidactivation position.
 80. The user interface of claim 78, said userduration set switch comprising a switch that has an on position and anoff position, and that requires an explicit user action to move saidswitch from said off position to said on position and from said onposition to said off position.
 81. The user interface of claim 78,further comprising a period indicator, that is selectably movablebetween a plurality of positions, each of which correlates to adifferent period of time, and is differentiable from the others, saidcontroller being coupled to set said period timer memory to said periodof time indicated by said period indicator.
 82. The user interface ofclaim 78, further comprising: a. a faucet fitting: b. a conduit havingan inlet, coupled to said faucet fitting and two outlets, one of whichis coupled to said water supply inlet; c. a hose fitting coupled to theother of said two conduit outlets; d. a valve, situated within saidconduit such that when set to a first configuration, said faucet fittingis hydraulically coupled to both said hose fitting and said water supplyinlet, and when set to a second configuration, said faucet fitting ishydraulically coupled only to said water supply inlet and not to saidhose fitting.
 83. A bowl assembly comprising: a. a bowl assembly, havinga body portion and two oppositely facing bowl surfaces, each bowl havinga concave surface that faces away from the concave surface of said otherbowl by approximately 180°, said bowl assembly characterized by a centerof gravity; b. an axle, having an axis of elongation, c. a one wayclutch, coupled to said axle and to said bowl assembly such that: i.forcing said axle to rotate in a first direction, relative to said bowlassembly, locks said clutch and torque is transmitted from said axlethrough said clutch to said bowl assembly, such that said bowl assemblyis also forced to rotate in said first direction; and ii. forcing saidaxle to rotate opposite said first direction relative to said bowlassembly, slips said clutch, and essentially no torque is transmittedfrom said axle, through said clutch, to said bowl assembly; and d. a camassembly comprising: i. a cam follower element, coupled to rotate withsaid bowl assembly around said axle, said cam follower element having afirst bearing region and a second bearing region; and ii. a cam surfacethat remains fixed relative to said rotation of said bowl assembly, saidcam surface shaped, and said cam followers arranged, such that: A.during rotation of said bowl assembly in said first direction from anorientation with one of said bowls concave surface facing upward,gravity acts on said center of gravity to apply a torque upon said bowlassembly opposite said first direction; B. rotation of said axle in saidfirst direction forces said bowl assembly to rotate with said axle, andforces a first of said cam follower bearing regions to move along saidcam surface, such that said center of gravity of said bowl assemblyrises to a maximum height, while being supported in part by said firstof said follower bearing regions resting upon said cam surface, and inpart by said axle, through said clutch; and C. further rotation of saidaxle in said first direction causes said bowl assembly to rotate, suchthat said center of gravity moves beyond a point where gravity pullssaid bowl assembly to rotate in said first direction, to a point wheresaid clutch slips, said bowl assembly is no longer supported by saidaxle, and the center of gravity of said bowl assembly and cam assemblyfalls until both said bearing regions rest upon said cam surface. 84.The bowl assembly of claim 83, said first and second cam bearingsurfaces each comprising a cylindrical surface.
 85. The bowl assembly ofclaim 84, said first and second bearing surfaces each comprisingcylindrical roller surfaces.
 86. The bowl assembly of claim 84, saidfirst and second bearing surfaces each comprising non-rotatingcylindrical sliding surfaces.
 87. The bowl assembly of claim 86, saidnon-rotating cylindrical bearing surfaces comprising full cylindricalsurfaces.
 88. The bowl assembly of claim 86, said non-rotatingcylindrical sliding surfaces comprising cylindrical end surfaces of aunitary oblong bearing element.
 89. The bowl assembly of claim 83,further comprising a linear bearing, adjacent said cam follower element,coupled to said axle so that said axle can translate vertically at oneend.
 90. The bowl assembly of claim 89, further comprising a wobblybearing, coupled to said axle at an end distant from said cam followerelement.
 91. A water bowl assembly for animal use, said bowl assemblycomprising: a. a bowl assembly support; b. an assembly of at least twobowls, each bowl having a concave surface, said concave surfacesarranged to face generally away from each other, said bowl assemblysupported by said support; c. a couple having an input configured tocouple to a supply of pressurized water, and an output, said couplecomprising only one output valve that couples said input to said output;d. a user input device, having a dual position on/off control element,which is settable by a user to an on position for a duration, and thensettable to an off position; e. a controller, coupled to said user inputdevice, having a duration memory element that maintains memory of saidduration, based on a duration that a user sets said control to said onposition, and which is coupled to said output valve and is operative tomaintain said output valve open for said duration; f. a hydraulicactuator that is coupled to said output and to a transmission that iscoupled to said bowl assembly, said actuator and said transmissionconfigured to operate during said duration under power of water fromsaid output valve, to move said bowl assembly such that a first bowlconcave surface is moved from facing upward to facing not upward, sothat any contained water is poured out, and such that a second bowlconcave surface is moved from facing not upward to facing upward, andfurther such that said second bowl concave surface is filled with water,also from said output valve.
 92. The water bowl assembly of claim 91,said controller further comprising a period memory element, saidcontroller further being operative to open said valve at a period basedon said period memory element, for said duration.
 93. The water bowlassembly of claim 92, said user input device comprising a variableperiod indicator, settable by a user, and which is coupled to saidcontroller, which is operative to set said period memory element to aperiod indicated by said period indicator.
 94. An animal water bowlcomprising: a. a bowl assembly, having a body portion and two oppositelyfacing bowls, each bowl having a concave surface that faces away fromthe concave surface of said other bowl at approximately 180°; b. asupport configured to support said bowl assembly with a first of saidbowl surfaces facing upward, capable of holding water, and said secondof said bowl surfaces facing downward, such that substantially no waterremains in said second bowl surface and said second bowl surface candry; and c. a bowl retainer, configured to couple said bowl assembly tosaid support such that said bowl assembly is releasably retained with afirst of said surfaces facing upward for a period of time, andsubsequently releasable and releasably retained with said second of saidsurfaces facing upward for a period of time.
 95. The watering bowl ofclaim 94, said bowl retainer comprising an axle that rotatably couplessaid bowl assembly to said support.
 96. The water bowl of claim 94, saidbowl retainer comprising mating geometries on said bowl assembly andsaid support that releasably engage each other and prevent lateralmovement of said bowl assembly relative to said support.
 97. The waterbowl of claim 96, said bowl retainer comprising a central cup in each ofsaid concave surfaces that mates with a post of said support.
 98. Thewater bowl of claim 96, said bowl retainer comprising a central plug ineach of said concave surfaces that mates with a cup of said support. 99.The water bowl of claim 95, further comprising a releasable stop thatreleasably stops said bowl assembly at two positions that areapproximately 180° apart from each other, each position characterized bya different one of said surfaces facing upward, and the other of saidsurfaces facing downward.
 100. The water bowl of claim 99, furthercomprising a crank handle coupled to said axle.
 101. The water bowl ofclaim 96, said engagement of said mating geometries comprising anengagement that is releasable by operator hand force.
 102. The waterbowl of claim 99, said stop comprising a latch.
 103. The water bowl ofclaim 99, said stop comprising a cam assembly.
 104. The water bowl ofclaim 94, further comprising: a. an actuator, coupled to said bowlassembly to move said bowl assembly from an orientation with a first ofsaid surfaces facing upward to an orientation with said second of saidsurfaces facing upward and then to an orientation with said first ofsaid surfaces facing upward; and b. a controller, coupled to saidactuator, configured to couple said actuator to a source of power atperiodic times to, automatically: i. move said bowl assembly from saidorientation with said first of said surfaces facing upward to saidorientation with said second of said surfaces facing upward; and ii.maintain said bowl assembly with said first of said surfaces facingupward for a duration of time.
 105. The water bowl of claim 104, saidcontroller configured to couple said actuator to said source of powerwithout human intervention, after human operator set up.
 106. The waterbowl of claim 104, further comprising: a. a couple to couple saidcontroller to a source of water; b. a conduit coupled to saidcontroller, said conduit arranged to direct water into an upward facingsurface; and c. a valve coupled to said controller, said controlleroperative to cause said valve to open at periodic times, for saidduration, thereby coupling said source of water to said conduit, andthrough said conduit, to said upward facing surface.
 107. The water bowlof claim 106, said controller configured to couple said actuator to saidsource of power and to open and close said valve, without humanintervention, after human operator set up.
 108. The water bowl of claim107, said source of power comprising said source of water.